Four suspects, who allegedly stole N1,301,334,108 from the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), have been remanded in Kirikiri prisons by an Ikeja Special Offences Court in Lagos.
The suspects and two firms were yesterday arraigned at the court for alleged theft and diversion of N1,301,334,108 from the coffers of the NPF.
The defendants, who were charged before Justice Sherifat Solebo by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), include Olumide Odumosu, Sule Tegina, Helen Nwafor and Okpalugo Ifeoma.
They were arraigned alongside two companies: Olu Osmond Nigeria Ltd and Jemmy Yus Investment Nigeria Ltd.
The defendants are facing a 14-count charge preferred against them by the EFCC.
In the charge, EFCC alleged that the defendants stole N1.3billion from the coffers of the Nigeria Police Force and fraudulently converted it to personal use between 2013 and 2014.
The anti-graft agency alleged that the defendants conspired with Ogbadu Joseph and Hassan Muhammed, who were said to be at large, to carry out the act.
Prosecuting counsel for EFCC Rotimi Oyedepo said the defendants acted contrary to Section 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011 and were liable to be punished under Section 285(1) of the same Act.
Attempt to arraign the defendants was stalled yesterday, as the third defendant, Nwafor, told the court that she did not understand English language.
She requested that the charges be translated to her in Igbo language.
Justice Solebo adjourned the matter till November 7 for arraignment to enable prosecution get an Igbo language interpreter.
Defence counsel A.O. Osinfowora prayed that the defendants be returned to the EFCC custody.
Justice Solebo, however, turned down his request and ordered that the defendants be remanded in the prison custody.
