Contractor in trouble for allegedly stealing workers’ salaries

A 37-year-old contractor, Prosper Kumah, who allegedly swindled 16 construction site workers of their wages, was on Wednesday brought before an Igbosere magistrate court, Lagos. Kumah, who resides at No. 6, Balogun Street, in the Lekki-Epe area of Lagos, is standing trial on a two-count charge of fraud and stealing the sum of N379,000 belonging […]

A 37-year-old contractor, Prosper Kumah, who allegedly swindled 16 construction site workers of their wages, was on Wednesday brought before an Igbosere magistrate court, Lagos.

Kumah, who resides at No. 6, Balogun Street, in the Lekki-Epe area of Lagos, is standing trial on a two-count charge of fraud and stealing the sum of N379,000 belonging to the workers.

The workers are; Andrew Eze, Segun Akinola, Sunday Omowunmi, Aleshe Sikiru,  Muhammad Awailu, Abilene Olamide, Malomo Lawrence,  Makinde Lawrence,  Tunde Obolo, Iseeb Bawa, Cuba John, Edom Ekena, Idowu Shamsudeen, Shola Oluwale, Ibikunle Adewale  and Micheal Utameri.

The prosecutor, Inspector Abass Abayomi, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offences on September 14, 2019 at 4pm at Adeyemi Lawson Street, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Abayomi said Kumah contracted the 16 workers at a construction site for manual labour, collected their wages worth N379,000 from the owner of the site, pretended as if he had paid the Labourers, but converted the money to his personal use.

Kumah pleaded not guilty to the charge. The magistrate, Mrs C. J. Momodu, granted him bail in the sum of N80,000, with one surety in like sum.

 

Momodu said the surety must be gainfully employed and show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State government.

The case was adjourned till November 4, 2019 for mention.