Court remands man, 39 over alleged N2m fraud

An Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, ordered the remand of a 39-year-old man, Ajayi Olufemi, at the correctional centre in Ado-Ekiti, over alleged N2million fraud.

The defendant, whose address was not provided, is being tried for fraud.

The police prosecutor, Insp Oriyomi Akinwale, told the Court that the defendant committed the offence on Oct. 12, 2021, at Ado-Ekiti.

Akinwale alleged that the defendant obtained the sum of N2 million from the complainant, Mr Arifayan Babatunde, on the pretext of processing a Canada visa for him.

Babatunde said that the defendant, who claimed to be a travel agent, was introduced to him by a friend.

The prosecutor said the defendant asked the complainant to pay N2million as the VISA processing fee, and he transferred the money to him.

The complainant said after the payment, Olufemi sent some papers to him, and after making inquiries to authenticate the documents, he discovered that they were fake.

Akinwale noted that the offence contravened Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006.

The prosecutor urged the Court to remand the defendant in the correctional centre pending legal advice from the office of Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

The plea of the defendant, however, was not taken.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Bankole Oluwasanmi, ordered remand of the defendant at the correctional centre, pending issuance of legal advice.

Oulwasanmi adjourned the case until May 9, for further mention.