Texas Ferries Drags 10 Staff, 2 Women To Court For Stealing N48m Petrol

The Management of Texas Connection Limited in Ikoyi, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria has dragged its 10 boat operators before a Lagos Magistrate Court for allegedly selling off the petrol in their boats for them to work valued at N48m to two women on the lagoon.

The suspects were also accused of damaging several boats engine valued at N20m.

Also charged with them for allegedly receiving the stolen petrol were the two women identified as Monica Denapo, 21 and Rebecca Joseph, both residents of Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.

The boat operators were identified as Peter Padei, 65; Rotimi Obagaiye, 47; Mathew Obatmehin, 67; Adesemowo Adeyinka, 36 and Olori Babatunde,34.

Others included Muritala Adewale, 35; John Adogun, 40; Raymond Egab, 33; Ebine Olorunju, 36; Usomah Kennecth and Emmanuel Ugbosanmi.

The accused persons were arrested by the operatives of the Federal Intelligence Bureau, FIB, Force headquarters, Lagos following a complaint by the management of Texas Ferries.

They were arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate Court on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy,willful damage and stealing.

Police Counsel, Sgt Friday Mameh informed the court in charge No A/5/2018 that the accused persons committed the offence between 2011 and 2012 at Texas Connection Limited at Osborne, Ikoyi, Lagos during working hours.

Mameh told the court that the accused had been conniving to sell off the petrol pumped into their boats to work to two women on the lagoon for two years before nemesis caught up with them.

He said that the complainant usually pump full tank of fuel on the accused persons’ boats everyday to work for the whole day, but that instead, the accused persons would take the boats to the bank of the lagoon and sell off the petrol to the two female.

Mameh said that the complainant swooped on the accused persons with security operatives while they were draining the petrol to sell to their buyers following a tip-off.

Mameh said the offences the accused committed were punishable under sections 325, 235, 339 and 328 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

All the accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the crime and Chief Magistrate O.O Oshin granted them bail in the sum of N250,000 each with one surety each in like sum.

Oshin adjourned the case till 21 February,2018 for mention.