Man in court over alleged N4.3m fraud

A businessman, Akinwumiju Abayomi, 40, was on Monday brought before a Yaba Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly defrauding a man of N4.3 million on the pretext of supplying him logs of wood.

Abayomi, a resident of Yaba area of Lagos, is facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, theft and obtaining by false pretences.

The Prosecutor, SP Idowu Osungbure, told the court that the defendant committed the offences sometime in Jan. 2020, within the jurisdiction of the court.

He said that the defendant collected a total of N4.3 million from the complainant, Mr Afam Jude, as payment to transport logs of wood for him from Taraba, so that he would export it to Vietnam.

According to him, the defendant made away with the complainant’s money and refused to supply the wood after giving so many excuses.

Osungbure said that the complainant made the report at the police station after suspecting that the defendant had defrauded him.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 314 (3), 287 and 411 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

Reports state that Section 314 is punishable by 15 years imprisonment for obtaining by false pretences while 287 stipulates three years imprisonment for the offence of theft.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Adeola Adedayo, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

She further directed that both sureties must be residing within the court’s jurisdiction and be gainfully employed with evidence of three years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

Adedayo instructed the defendant to deposit her international passport with the court and the prosecutor to swear an affidavit of verification.

She adjourned the case until April 12 for mention.