SON Arraigns Businessman for Attempting to Steal Seized Substandard Goods from Warehouse
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The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), has dragged a businessman, Ogbo Chidozie Tochukwu to court, for allegedly attempting to break into a warehouse to steal substandard goods seized by the agency.
Tochukwu was arraigned before Justice R. M. Aikawa of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, alongside his company, Majestics Tiles Limited on a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy, unlawful entry and attempted stealing.
The Defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges, and were each granted bail in the sum of N5 million, with two sureties in like sum.
Justice Aikawa directed that one of the sureties must be a public servant in either the Lagos State Government or the Federal Government, of not below grade level 13 to be verified by the deputy Chief Registrar of the court.
The other surety, the Judge ordered, must be a resident of Lagos State with the document of landed property handed over to the court, and with a reliable and identifiable means of livelihood.
The Judge also directed that Tochukwu should be remanded in prison until his bail conditions are met, and thereafter, to report to the SON's office every last Friday of the month, until the determination of the case.
According to the Prosecutor, Mrs Amaka Allen-Ngbale, Tochukwu allegedlly conspired to commit the offences with Ochuehi Ikechukwu, Monday Adumekwe and George Anderson (now at large) on January 30, 2018.
She said the Defendants broke into the Majestic Tiles Limited warehouse at No. 125 Agege Motor Road Idiro, Mushin, Lagos and attempted to steal 115 cartons of soldering iron, 04 cartons of CCTV camera and some quantities of 35g of lead, by loading the said products suspected to be sub-standard seized by SON for non-compliance with the mandatory industrial standard, before importation.
Allen-Ngbale said the alleged offences committed by the Defendants, contravene Sections 383(2)(b), 410 and 508 of the Criminal Code Act C39 LFN 2004 .
The charge read in part: "That you, Majestics Tiles Limited, Ogbo Chidozie Tochukwu, Ochuehi Ikechukwu, Monday Adumekwe and George Anderson of Majestic Tiles Limited of 125, Agege Motor Road Idiro, Mushin Lagos, on or about 30 January, 2018 around 09:00hours at the warehouse named Magestic Tiles Limited located at Ago Palace Way, Okota Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did break into the said warehouse with intent to commit a felony, and opened by unlocking the rear door of the said warehouse so as not to damage the seal placed by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria at the inside-front door of the said warehouse containing the said 115 cartons of soldering iron, 04 cartons of CCTV camera and some quantities of 35g of lead, suspected to be sub-standard seized by Standards Organization of Nigeria for non-compliance with the mandatory industrial standard before importation, with intent to commit a felony therein, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 410 of the Criminal Code Act C39 LFN 2004 and punishable under Section 413 of the Criminal Code Act CAP C39 LFN 2004".