By Bukola Olamona

A Magistrate’s Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, has sentenced a former sales representative, Temitope Odeyemi, to five years imprisonment for stealing goods valued at over ₦5.6 million from his employer.

The convict was prosecuted by the Ondo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, on a one-count charge of criminal conversion.

Odeyemi, who was a staff of CEC Global Venture, reportedly diverted goods worth ₦5,652,360 meant for distribution during his time with the company.

The NSCDC arraigned him on the allegation that he fraudulently converted company property to personal use, in contravention of Section 383 of the Criminal Code Law of Ondo State, 2006.

During proceedings, the court heard how the former sales representative breached the trust of his employer and diverted the products meant to be delivered to customers for his private gain.

Delivering his judgement, Magistrate D.S. Sekoni found him guilty of the offence and sentenced him to five years in prison without an option of fine.

Magistrate Sekoni also ordered the convict to pay the sum of ₦5,652,360 as restitution to CEC Global Venture.

The judgment, according to the NSCDC, serves as a deterrent to others in similar positions of trust, warning that fraudulent acts will be met with the full force of the law.