Alleged ₦15m Fraud: Dangote’s Staff Plead Guilty, Seek Plea Bargain

Hearing in an alleged ₦15m fraud involving three employees of Dangote Cement, Ibese,  Ogun State, and one other took a dramatic twist today, 17th December, 2018, before Justice O. J. Bamgbose of the High Court of Ogun State,  Abeokuta, as both 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 were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on December 6, 2018 on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing to the tune of ₦15m.

The complainant, Dangote Cement, alleged that Dalmeida,  a Fleet Analyst; Lawal,  Chief Driver; Adam,  a Ghanaian driver and Olaniba, who is an agent of a contractor to Dangote Cement, diverted trucks carrying  800 bags of cement valued at over ₦15m.

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.

Count one reads: ” That you, Adewale Dalmeida, Ibrahim Lawal, Afeez Olaniba and Lukman Adam, between May and August, 2018 at Ibese, within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to commit felony, to wit: stealing of the sum of ₦15, 940, 800.00 00 (Fifteen Million, Nine Hundred and Forty Thousand, Eight Hundred Naira) property of Dangote Cement Place”.

The suspects pleaded not guilty to the charge  when it was read to them.

Consequently, Justice Bamgbose had adjourned till today for hearing of the bail applications.

However, during proceedings today, 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.