Chidi Duru, ex-lawmaker, charged with theft

The Lagos state police command has arraigned Chidi Duru, a former member of the house of representatives, on a four-count charge of stealing.

The management of First Guarantee Pensions Limited (FGPL), a pension fund administrator (PFA), had raised the alarm over Duru’s alleged invasion of its head office in Oregun, Lagos.

Duru, a former vice-chairman of the organisation, was removed for alleged misconduct.

But citing a court order, he stormed the organisation’s premises on Wednesday, in the company of armed men.

The men, who accompanied him, were said to have taken away some documents and three cars.

The matter was later reported to the police, and he was arrested.

The police later arraigned Duru and one Smart Iheazor at a Lagos state magistrate court.

Below are the charges brought against them:

“That you, Nze Chidi Duru ‘M’, Smart Iheazor ‘M’ and others now at large, on the 11th day of January 2017, at No. 65 Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos, in the Lagos Magistrate District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit stealing and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 409 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

“That you, Nze Chidi Duru ‘M’, Smart Iheazor ‘M’ and others now at large, on the same date, and place in the aforementioned Magistrate District, did steal (3) three office files, (1) one HP Laptop valued at the sum of 250,000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) property of First Guarantee Pension Limited (FGPL) and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 285 of Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

“That you, Nze Chidi Duru ‘M’, Smart Iheazor ‘M’ and others now at large, on the same date, and place in the aforementioned Magistrate District, did conduct yourselves in a manner likely to cause breach of the peace by wilfully and unlawfully invading First Guarantee Pension Limited (FGPL) offices with an intent to forcefully takeover the management and assets of the company and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 111(d) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

“That you Nze Chidi Duru ‘M’ and Smart Iheazor ‘M’ on the same time, date, and place in the aforementioned Magistrate District, with intent to defraud, did introduce yourselves as Vice Chairman/Secretary, respectively, of First Guarantee pension Limited (FGPL) and acted same in an attempt to take over the management and assets of the company and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 378(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos state, 2011”.