A 42-year-old  truck driver, Albert Ekpeyong, on Tuesday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly damaging his employer’s truck.

The defendant, whose address was not provided, is standing trial on a two-count charge of willful damage and unlawful interference with property.

The prosecutor, SP Josephine Ikhayere, told the court that Ekpeyong allegedly committed the offences between June 12 and June 14 while on transit in Lagos.

According to her, the defendant used the truck, marked Lagos SMK 182 XM with code No. G4 94, belonging to GPC Energy and Logistics Ltd., without authorisation.

Ms Ikhayere alleged that the defendant unlawfully conveyed unauthorised logs of wood while on transit without the company’s knowledge.

“He unlawfully disconnected the truck’s tracking device to secretly convey the unauthorised goods,” she said.

The prosecutor stated that the defendant maliciously damaged the entire chassis of the truck in his possession valued at N35 million.

“As a result of the unauthorised heavy logs of wood beyond the truck’s capacity, he caused severe damage to the vehicle,” she said.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 340 and 350 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.

The Chief Magistrate, Lateef Owolabi, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N400,000 with two sureties in like sum.

He adjourned the case until August 18 for mention.

(NAN)