NIGERIA (Lagos)-March 18 has been fixed as the commencement of hearing in the trial of five former employees of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex charged with alleged theft of N274 million.

This was fixed by an Ikeja High Court on Tuesday following the allegation leveled against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The defendants are: Bassey Eyamba, Francis Dajilak, Lazarus Okocha, Barnabas Kolo and Eunice Okafor.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the accused who were arraigned before Justice Kudirat Jose on Nov. 28, 2013, pleaded not guilty to the 20-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing.

They were remanded in EFCC custody pending the perfection of a one million naira bail term granted to each of them.

The EFCC counsel, Mr Anslem Ozioko, alleged that the defendants committed the offences between January 2009 and December 2011 in Lagos.

Ozioko said they had fraudulently obtained various sums of money belonging to their employer by renting and selling some plots of land owned by the complex.

According to him, the alleged offences contravened Sections 390 (6) and 516 of the Criminal Code Law of Lagos State 2003.