Court sends two marketing agents to prison for alleged N10.6 million fraud

The Federal High Court in Abuja ordered on Thursday the remand of two business agents, Nsor Nyami and Iranloye Olusegun, in Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja, for allegedly defrauding their employers N10.6 million.

The trial judge, Inyang Ekwo, made the remand order after rejecting the defendants’ bail application.

The judge’s decision followed an objection from the prosecution counsel, Ibrahim Mohammed, who prosecutes the defendants on behalf of the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

Defence counsel S. O Okechukwu could not sway the judge to overrule the prosecution’s objection to granting his clients’ bail request.

The defendants earlier pleaded not guilty to 10 charges of felony, conspiracy, and criminal breach of trust.

The police also accused them of failing to remit over N10 million they received from selling their employee’s products and converting the money to their personal use.

They were also accused of selling unregistered products to unsuspecting consumers across Nigeria.

The trial judge, Mr Ekwo, scheduled 23 September to begin their trial.

Charges

The prosecution alleged that Messrs Nyami and Olusegun conspired to commit a felony by dishonestly cornering the proceeds from the sale of Soya Plus products entrusted to them, violating specific directives and guidelines.

The prosecution said the defendants converted N10.6 million, funds received from various customers for distributing Peace Foundation International’s Soya Plus product, and failed to remit it to their employer. This act contravenes section 308 and is punishable under section 309 of the Penal Code Act.

The accused also allegedly distributed an unregistered product, Brika Soya Beans Milk, without obtaining the necessary registration from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/321/24, the prosecution also alleged that the second defendant, Mr Olusegun, converted N2.5 million received from various customers to his own use.

The police said the offences breached sections 3 of the Miscellaneous Offences Act 2007, section 286 of the Penal Code Act, punishable under section 287 of the same law, and section 1 of the Food Product Registration Regulations and punishable under section 7 of the same Act.