By
our Special Reporter
One Mrs. Orji Ifeoma
Sharon Stella, a mother of three has allegedly connived with one Dr. Michael
Owoicho Odeh of Our Lady of Apostle (OLA) and Elroi Mission Hospitals all in
Jos to embezzle the sum of N94million
belonging to CHOCO CONDIMENTS Nig. Ltd which belongs to her husband, one Mr.
Orji Maduabuchi.
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| HIGH COURT2 |
The suspects are standing trial before Justice
Danjuma Longji of High Court 8, Jos on a 9 count charge bordering on criminal
breach of trust, concealment of stolen property, criminal conspiracy, criminal
misappropriation, theft and forgery. According to a source, the matter was
forwarded to the Commissioner of Police Plateau State Command through a letter
of complaint by Orji Maduabuchi, Managing Director of Choco Condiments Nig. Ltd
No. 9 Mission Road Old Bukuru park Jos on the 2nd April, 2016
against Sharon Ifeoma Stella and Dr. Michael Owoicho. The case was subsequently
transferred to the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department of the
Command for further investigation.
It is said that the complainant is the husband to Stella
who is the first suspect and has been under his employment in CHOCO CONDIMENTS Nig.
Ltd, as a Director in charge of the Jos Branch and on a monthly salary of four
hundred and fifty thousand naira (N450,000).
We also learnt that while Orji was away to Imo State for two years to attend to
other matters of the Company’s Branch in that State, his wife fraudulently
opened a separate account in the name of the Company and diverted the Company’s
proceeds for her personal use which led to the collapse of the Jos Branch of
the Company. Orji is also said to have alleged that the said Dr. Owoicho has
been having illicit affairs with his wife and have conspired with her to siphon
his Company’s money to the tune of N94million.
When the case was called, the Police Prosecutor read
out the charges to the accused as follows;
“COUNT I
That you Orji Ifeoma Sharon Stella ‘f’ and Dr.
Michael Owoicho Odeh ‘m’ on diverse dates in 2015 and 2016 at Choco Condiments
Nig. Ltd, Jos of No. 9 Mission Street, Jos North LGA of Plateau State, within
the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an illegal act to wit:
Criminal Conspiracy, when you conspired amongst yourselves to do or cause to be
done an act of Conspiracy against Choco Condiments Nig. Ltd, Jos by using the
personal account of Orji Ifeoma Sharon Stella with First Bank number 3094216887 for payment of monies for
purchase of Chemicals and drinks by customers of the said Company, which the
realized sum of twenty-nine million naira {N29,000,000}
(as of then) was withdrawn by you, Orji Ifeoma Sharon Stella, on 14th
April 2016 and deposited into your personal account number 1233060222 with Ecobank Plc and on the 6th May, 2016
you, Orji Ifeoma Sharon Stella, withdrew and added to the other proceeds of
sales and payment by customers of the Company, totalling forty-five million
five hundred thousand naira (N45,500,000)
and paid it into the Ecobank account numbers 1233060655, 1233062037
and 1233060521 the personal accounts
of Dr. Michael Owoicho Odeh and Elroi Mission Hospital, Jos which same was
deposited by Dr. Michael Owoicho Odeh ‘m’ leading to the collapse of the
Business of the Company Choco Condiment Nig. Ltd, Jos pursuant to your
agreement. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 96 and
punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria.
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| COURT ROOM |
COUNT II
That you Orji Ifeoma Sharon Stella ‘f’ and Dr.
Michael Owoicho Odeh ‘m’ on diverse dates in 2015 and 2016 at Choco Condiments
Nig. Ltd, Jos of No. 9 Mission Street, Jos North LGA of Plateau State, within
the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an illegal act to wit:
Criminal Misappropriation, when you dishonestly converted and misappropriated
the sum of seventeen million naira (N17,000,000)
being proceed from the sale of products of Choco Condiments Nig. Ltd property
of the said Company which you used six million naira (N6,000,000) being part of the said sum in buying a landed property
for yourself at No. 434 Zaria Road, behind St. Murumba College, Jos, and
another property at Abuja for the sum of nine million naira (N9,000,000) and also two million naira (N2,000,000) under the pretence of
retainership with Elroi Mission Hospital belonging to Dr. Michael Owoicho Odeh
without the approval and consent of the Company Choco Condiments Nig. Ltd, Jos
or its Director. You hereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable
under Section 309 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria.
“COUNT III
That you Orji Ifeoma Sharon Stella ‘f’ and Dr.
Michael Owoicho Odeh ‘m’ on diverse dates in 2015 and 2016 at Choco Condiments
Nig. Ltd, Jos of No. 9 Mission Street, Jos North LGA of Plateau State, within
the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an illegal act to wit:
Criminal Breach of Trust, when you, Orji Ifeoma Sharon Stella ‘f’, were
entrusted with the management and sales of products of Choco Condiments Nig.
Ltd, Jos Branch by the Company through its Director, Orji Maduabuchi, you
conspired with Dr. Michael Owoicho Odeh ‘m’ and dishonestly diverted the
proceeds of the sales totalling forty-five million five hundred thousand naira
(N45,500,000) into your personal
account numbers 3094296887, 2029420306 and 3060431711 with First Bank Plc, 1233060222 with Ecobank Plc with account names Orji Ifeoma Sharon
Stella and account numbers 1233060655,
1233062037 and 1233060521 with account names Michael Owoicho Odeh and Elroi
Mission Hospital, Jos. You thereby committed an offence contrary to and
punishable under Section 312 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria.
COUNT IV
That you Orji Ifeoma Sharon Stella ‘f’ and Dr.
Michael Owoicho Odeh ‘m’ on diverse dates in 2015 and 2016 at Choco Condiments
Nig. Ltd, Jos of No. 9 Mission Street, Jos North LGA of Plateau State, within
the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an illegal act to wit:
Theft, when you stole the proceed of sales of products of Choco Condiments Nig.
Ltd, Jos, Jos Branch property of the Company totalling forty-five million five
hundred thousand naira (N45,500,000)
without the consent of the said Company or its Director, Orji Maduabuchi which
has led to the collapse of the Business of the Company in Jos Branch. You
hereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 287 of the
Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria.
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| HIGH COURT |
COUNT V
That you Orji Ifeoma Sharon Stella ‘f’ on diverse
dates in 2015 and 2016 at Choco Condiments Nig. Ltd, Jos of No. 9 Mission
Street, Jos North LGA Plateau State,
within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an illegal act to
wit: Theft by Servant of property in possession of Master, when you Orji Ifeoma
Sharon Stella ‘f’, a servant in Choco Condiments Nig. Ltd, Jos Branch stole the
sum of twenty-nine million naira (N29,000,000)
being proceed of sales of products of Choco Condiments Nig. Ltd, Jos, Jos
Branch belonging to the Company and hid the said amount in your personal
account number 3094216887. You
thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 289 of
the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria.
“COUNT VI
That you Dr. Michael Owoicho Odeh ‘m’ on diverse
dates in 2015 and 2016 at Choco Condiments Nig. Ltd, Jos of No. 9 Mission
Street, Jos North LGA of Plateau State, within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable Court did commit an illegal act to wit: Dishonestly Receiving Stolen
Property being proceed of sales of products of Choco Condiments Nig. Ltd, Jos
Branch from Orji Ifeoma Sharon Stella knowing or having reason to believe that
the sum of forty-five million five hundred thousand naira (N45,500,000) to have being stolen from Choco Condiments Nig. Ltd,
Jos Branch and you deposited same into your account numbers 1233060655, 1233062037 and 12330606521
with Ecobank Plc. You thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable
under Section 317 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria.
COUNT VII
That you Dr. Michael Owoicho Odeh ‘m’ on diverse
dates in 2015 and 2016 at Choco Condiments Nig. Ltd, Jos of No. 9 Mission
Street, Jos North LGA of Plateau State, within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable Court did commit an illegal act to wit: Assisting in Concealment of
Stolen Property, when you, Dr. Michael Owoicho Odeh voluntarily assisted Orji
Ifeoma Sharon Stella in concealing and making away with the sum of forty-five
million five hundred thousand naira (N45,500,000)
being proceed of sales of products of Choco Condiments Nig. Ltd, Jos Branch,
property of the Company which you knew or had reason to believe to be stolen
property into your account numbers 1233060655,
1233062037 and 12330606521 with Ecobank Plc. You thereby committed an offence
contrary to and punishable under Section 319 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern
Nigeria.
COUNT VIII
That you Orji Ifeoma Sharon Stella ‘f’, on diverse
dates in 2015 and 2016 at Choco Condiments Nig. Ltd, Jos of N. 9 Mission
Street, Jos North LGA of Plateau State, within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable Court did commit an illegal act to wit: Cheating Person whose
interest you are bound to protect, when you cheated Choco Condiments Nig. Ltd,
Jos Branch, of the sum of forty-five million five hundred thousand naira (N45,500,000) being the proceed of sales of
products of the said Choco Condiments Nig. Ltd, Jos whose interest you are
bound by law or a legal contract to protect, leading to the collapse of the
business of the said Company. You thereby committed an offence contrary to and
punishable under Section 323 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria.
“COUNT IX
That you Orji Ifeoma Sharon Stella ‘f’, on diverse
dates in 2015 and 2016 at Choco Condiments Nig. Ltd, Jos of No. 9 Mission
Street, Jos North LGA of Plateau State, within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable Court did commit an illegal act to wit: Forgery, when you forged
Board resolution of Choco Condiments Nig. Ltd, Jos Branch, mandating yourself,
Orji Ifeoma Sharon Stella ‘f’ as the sole signatory to the accounts you opened
in the name of Choco Condiment Nig. Ltd, Jos with First Bank Plc, account
numbers 2029420306, 3094216887 and 3060431711 issuing same to the customers of Choco Condiments Nig.
Ltd, Jos Branch paying in proceed of sales of the products of the said Company
into the said accounts, and diverting the realized sum of forty-five million
five hundred thousand naira (N45,500,000)
into your account number 1233060222
with Ecobank Plc, which led to the collapse of the Business of the Company in
Jos Branch. You thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under
Section 364 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges. The
matter was subsequently adjourned to 13th July, 2017 for
continuation of hearing. However, the accused were remanded in prison custody.
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