Event planner faces N4.3m fraud charge

A 28-year-old event planner, Baba Williams, who allegedly obtained N4.3 million from a businessman under false pretences, on Tuesday appeared before a Tinubu Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

Williams, who resides at Idejo Street,  on Victoria Island, Lagos, is facing trial on a three-count charge of conspiracy, obtaining under false pretences and stealing preferred against him by the police.

The prosecutor, Insp Micheal Unah, told the court that the defendant and others still at large, committed the offences sometime in March at Lekki Phase 1 in Lagos State.

He said that Williams obtained the sum of N4.3 million from the complainant, Mr Godspower Adah, on the pretext of exchanging the money to its dollar equivalent but failed to do so.

He said the defendant, therefore, converted the said money to his personal use.

Unah said the offences contravened Sections 287, 314 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Magistrate, Mrs T. O. Omoyele, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N1million with two sureties in like sum.

Omoyele ordered that the sureties must provide evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government and their National Identification Number cards.

She adjourned the case until July 12 for mention.