A 35-year-old security guard at a residence in Akodo, Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos, Azeez Adebisi, has been arrested by the police for allegedly letting his boss’ four-bedroomed apartment to some persons without his consent.
Kayode also reportedly fled with the property of his boss, one Moshood Salami, who is based in the United Kingdom before he was caught by the police.
The property included a puppy, four air conditioners, three expensive mattresses, kitchen utensils, furniture, among other valuables worth about N1.6m.
City Round learnt that Salami employed Adebisi about five years ago. He was entrusted with the house and paid a monthly salary of N20,000.
It was gathered that the bubble burst recently when Salami’s father went to his house to pick the puppy on Salami’s instruction.
He reportedly found out that Adebisi had rented out the bungalow without his knowledge or his son’s.
On further examination of the property, the man was said to have discovered that some valuables were missing, while the guard had fled the area.
Our correspondent gathered that Salami’s father contacted Adebisi on the telephone, but the guard terminated the call on hearing the man’s voice.
The guard was later tracked to the Iju area of Ogun State by the police following a petition by the man.
The suspect in his statement to the police owned up to the alleged fraud, stating that he let out the building to three persons for N750,000 for six months.
Adebisi said, “I was employed as a security guard but my boss is based in the UK. He has a four-bedroomed flat which I guard and he pays me N20,000 per month. In January 2019, I rented out the house to three company workers for six months through an agent at the sum of N750,000. The agent said he collected N950,000 but he only gave me N750,000. I did not steal the air conditioners. I kept them in the generator house, but I did not lock the door.
“Before the people who rented the house came, I had moved to Ogun State together with the dog, which later died. I regret my actions. I want the police to help me.”
The native of Ila-Orogun in Osun State added that out of his proceeds, he gave N550,000 to one Ayo to help him buy a used car in Cotonou, Benin Republic.
He was consequently arraigned in a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court on four counts bordering on fraud.
The police prosecutor, Sergeant Adeleye Olufemi, told the court that the offence contravened sections 168(d), 314(3) and 363 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The charges read in part, “That you, Azeez Adebisi on January 11, 2019, at Akodo, Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos State, in the Lagos State Magisterial District, did steal four air conditioners, valued at N200,000; three double mattresses value yet unknown; kitchen utensils worth N180,000; one glass coffee table with stools valued at N150,000; total items valued at N1,630,000, property of one Moshood Salami.
“That you, Azeez Adebisi on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned magisterial district, did impersonate yourself to be the landlord of the property at No. 30, Orofun Town, Akodo, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, in an attempt to defraud one Odu Kemakolam and Bamidele Ojo.”
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.
The presiding magistrate, Mrs F. M. Dalley, granted him bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
