N15m fraud: Dangote’s staff plead guilty, seek plea bargain

Hearing in an alleged N15 million fraud involving three employees of Dangote Cement, Ibese,  Ogun State, and one other person took a dramatic twist yesterday before Justice O. J. Bamgbose of the High Court of Ogun State,  Abeokuta, when the first and second defendants, Adewale Dameilda and Ibrahim Lawal respectively, changed their earlier plea of […]

Hearing in an alleged N15 million fraud involving three employees of Dangote Cement, Ibese,  Ogun State, and one other person took a dramatic twist yesterday before Justice O. J. Bamgbose of the High Court of Ogun State,  Abeokuta, when the first and second defendants, Adewale Dameilda and Ibrahim Lawal respectively, changed their earlier plea of not guilty to guilty.

The suspects, alongside Luqman Lawal and Afeez Olaniba, had been arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on December 6, 2018 on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing to the tune of N15m.h

The complainant, Dangote Cement, alleged that Dalmeida,  a fleet analyst; Lawal,  chief driver; Adam,  a Ghanaian and also a driver and Olaniba, who is an agent of a contractor to Dangote Cement, diverted trucks carrying  800 bags of cement valued at over N15m.

They were said to have diverted the trucks carrying the bags of cement, which were meant for the company’s customers in Togo, using fake identification cards and number plate.

The suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them.

Consequently, Justice Bamgbose adjourned till yesterday for hearing of their bail applications.

During proceedings yesterday, counsel to the first defendant, Adewumi Adisa, told the court that he had filed a bail application on behalf of his client. He also expressed the intention of his client  to change  his earlier plea of not guilty to guilty.