The Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City has adjourned the alleged fraud case involving Mary Theophilus and Helen Ighodaro to January 18, 2027, for further proceedings.
The case, State v. Mary Theophilus and Helen Ighodaro, with Suit No. B/CD/283C/25, came up before Justice Irele-Ifejeh of High Court No. 1, Benin City, with both defendants present in court.
The defendants are facing a charge of conspiracy under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. 48, Laws of Bendel State 1976, as applicable in Edo State.
According to the charge, the defendants allegedly conspired between January 2011 and November 2, 2022, at Uyi Technical Nigeria Limited, Mission Road, Benin City, to dishonestly divert funds belonging to the company.
The alleged offences include inflating the prices of goods sold to customers without authorisation, collecting sales proceeds through private Point of Sale (POS) terminals, and allegedly concealing or falsifying the actual amounts received in the company’s sales records, receipts and invoices.
At the proceedings, Douglas Ogbankwa, Esq., appeared alongside A.O. Enobabor and Paul Badaiki for the prosecution, holding the brief of E.O. Afolabi, SAN, who reportedly has a fiat from the Edo State Attorney-General.
The prosecution, through a letter presented to the court, requested an adjournment, explaining that its lead counsel was unavailable due to an official assignment.
In response, the prosecution disputed the facts presented by the defence, clarifying that the fiat was dated July 6 and that the defendants’ pleas were taken on September 29, 2026.
After considering the submissions, the court held that the prosecution was still within the permissible timeframe and subsequently adjourned the matter to January 18, 2027, for further proceedings.
The case is expected to resume on the adjourned date as proceedings continue.
Written by Enitan Mudashiru
