'Demand ₦10mln' Thermocool owner, police detain workers over false accusation

The owner of First Shopwize century mall, a franchise dealership of Haier Thermocool, Rose Okorie, in collusion with the officers of Nigerian Police Force, from Area P Police Station, Ipaja, has illegally detained her staff over false accusation of stealing.

According to a source, who didnt want his name mentioned, Freelanews was informed that four members of staff have been in detention for over 24hours over a bailable offence, breaching their rights to personal liberty.

“I think what happened was just unnecessary show of force and wickedness. The owner of this Haier Thermocool showroom in Baruwa Gate here accused her staff of stealing from her and yet what happened can’t be tagged as stealing,” he said.

From what our correspondent gathered, the manager and three other workers were arrested yesterday, June 15, 2021 and one was only allowed bail this evening, June 16, to reunite with her family.

“Other three are still in detention as I’m speaking with you, which I believe is against the law of the land.

“Why haven’t they been charged to court?” our source asked.

Findings about the crime revealed that it was alleged that the store manager was in the habit of selling products the store didn’t have to customers.

“What happened was that whenever customers walked in for generating set, the manager will instruct the customers to pay into his account since the store doesn’t sell. He would explained to the customer that he would send the driver to bring generator from their other store.

“But what the manager always did was to send the driver to another store to purchase the product and then sell to the customers.

“Then the manager would share whatever profits that may accrue from these transactions with other workers at the store,” he explained.

According to another insider, the owner of the franchise store located at No 167, Ipaja, Ayobo-Ipaja road in Alimosho Local Government had after she was informed about the practice, audited her account and confirmed that the book was balanced.

It was, however, alleged that Okorie insisted that the workers should be locked up till they are able to cough out N10million.

“She later agreed that the three salesgirls detained with the manager should pay N500,000 each while the manager must pay N1mllion before she could be pacified,” he revealed.

Though one of the salesgirls had been released on bail, Okorie was alleged to have threatened that 30% of the money she was demanding for must be paid in less than 24hours before other could be released.

It was also alleged that she also said that the released girl would be returned to detention and none of them would be released if her condition was not met.

Family and friends of these accused persons hereby called on the relevant authorities to intervene and call these overzealous police officers to order as no one is allowed to be detained more than 24hours without an option of bail.