- Safiu Kehinde
The Ondo State Police Command has arrested six suspects over alleged theft of 189 bags of dried Cocoa Beans, valued N141.7 million.
The stolen cocoa beans belonged to the Agro Trader Ltd., in the state.
This was contained in a statement issued on Monday by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Olushola Ayanlade.
According to Ayanlade, the suspects who were members of staff of Agro Trader Ltd., allegedly conspired and stole the items from the company’s warehouse.
Two out of the six suspects were confirmed to be the company’s chief security officers.
Ayanlade said the alleged act did not only violate the trust reposed in them but also threatened the economic stability of the establishment.
According to him, the alleged betrayal from personnel assigned to protect the warehouse highlighted the depth of internal compromise within the company.
The police spokesperson recounted how one of the prime suspects had attempted to evade arrest.
“One of the principal suspects, fled from Ondo state and moved through Osun, Oyo, and Abia in a calculated attempt to avoid apprehension.
“However, leveraging modern technological tools, operatives—acting on intelligence generated through this advanced technological capability—pinpointed his hideout in Ijebu-Ode, where he was successfully arrested by the CP Monitoring Unit.
“Upon interrogation, he confessed to conspiring with others to deprive the company he was employed to protect of its goods,” he said.
Ayanlade said that efforts were ongoing to locate and arrest the remaining accomplices while consolidating evidence for prosecution.
He said the significant breakthrough is the command’s unwavering commitment to protecting lives, property, and the economic interests of law-abiding residents across the state.
He, therefore, assured the general public and the business community that all suspects would be diligently prosecuted upon the conclusion of investigations.
“The command reiterates its unwavering stance that any individual, who commits a crime within the state—regardless of the distance to which they may flee—will be arrested and brought to justice.
“Equally, anyone who comes into the state with the intention of perpetrating criminal activities will inevitably be caught and made to face the full and unbiased wrath of the law.”