The Police in Onitsha have arraigned five Onitsha Market leaders at theย Ontsha Magistrate Court 11 for stealing and misappropriation of public fund amounting toย ย over N15million
ย
Anthony Chiloli, President ย of Uba Planks and Joist Associationย (UPJA),Bridge head, Onitsha in Anambra State ย and other members of his executives; Ajaegbo Godwin, Odera Nwosu, Anadumaka Chukwuma, and Rapuluchukwu Okafor,ย were arraigned for ย fiveโcount charge of conspiracy and stealing.
ย
In the charge, theย prosecuting police officer, ASP Crescent Ogbu,ย said Chiloli and Ajaegbo betweenย October 18, 2012 and May 15 2016, conspiredย to commitย offence wit stealing, punishable under section 495 (a)ย of the criminal code, revised laws ย of Anambra State of Nigeria, 1991.
Chiloli was also charged with stealing the sum of N15, 428, 640, being the property ofย UPJA, which is an offence punishableย under section 358 (12) of criminal code, revised laws of Anambra State of Nigeria 1991.
ย
Ajaegbo ย on his part, was said to have on November 5, 2014, at First Bank PLC, Bridge Head branch stolen the cash sum of N500,000.00, property of UPJA.
ย
Nwosu on the same day was said to have stolen the cash sum of over ย N2 millionย being the property ofย UPJA, punishable under section 353(12) of the criminal code, revised laws of Anambra State of Nigeria 1991.
ย
Anadumaka, said the prosecution ย between ย October 18, 2012ย and May 25, 2016, stole the cash sum of N251, 000.00, property of UPJA and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 353 (12), of the criminal code, revised laws of Anambra State of Nigeria 1991.
ย
But the accused pleaded not guilty in the all the five- account charges.
ย
The counsel to the accused persons,ย GB Obi, asked the court to grant the accused bail, which was granted by the presiding magistrate, Chioma Amulukwe who asked that they deposit theirย three years tax clearance, which must be confirmed by the police.ย ย
The presiding Magistrateย adjourned the matter toย March 27, 2017.
