A lawyer, Anthony Thomas, has been arraigned at the Magistrate’s Court 5, Oka, Ondo town, presided over by Magistrate Oluwatoyin Olowokere.
He was accused of stealing N4,775,000 as part of the proceeds for the sale of a property belonging to one Olufemi Adesioye and his family.
PUNCH Metro gathered that in 2009, Adesioye had engaged the services of Thomas for the sale of his grandfather’s estate at Idishin, Oyo State.
The property was eventually sold for N16,000,000 from which Thomas was reportedly paid a commission of N1,675,000, leaving the sum of N15,325,000.
Adesioye was said to have instructed the lawyer to share the remaining money into three parts for selected family members, each benefitting a minimum of N4,775,000.
The lawyer was alleged to have paid two parts of the money and converted the third portion to himself.He was arraigned on one count of theft.
The charge read, “That you, Anthony Oladele Thomas, sometime in 2009 at Ondo Town, within the Ondo State Magisterial District, did steal the sum of N4,775,000 being part of the proceeds of the sale of Flionis property belonging to Olufemi Adesioye and his family by fraudulently converting the money to your personal use, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 390(8)(b) of the Criminal Code Cap. 37 Vol. I, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge and was admitted to bail in the sum of N3m with two sureties.The case was adjourned till January 17, 2023, for trial.
