By Adeyanju Esther
On Wednesday, the Lagos State Police Command brought two men and two women before the Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court on charges of fraud.
The defendants—Zainab Abdullahi (26), Olanrewaju Mariam (25), Sulaimon Abdulatif (24), and Yehuza Jubril (23), all of no fixed addresses—are facing a three-count charge of felony, theft, and fraud.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Prosecutor Insp. Edet Ekpo told the court that the alleged offences occurred between January and July at a Low-Cost Housing Estate in Badagry, Lagos.
Ekpo stated that the defendants conspired to deceive others and obtain money under false pretences.
“The defendants obtained N1,600,000 from one Abdul-Salam Idris, the complainant, under the pretence of taking him to Manchester City Football Club in England to play football, knowing full well that they were agents to any club.
“The defendants converted the money to their use,” he said.
The offences, he said contravene Sections 411, 314 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Layeni also said that each of the sureties must deposit N25,000 to the Chief Registrar of the court.
Thereafter adjourned the case till August 15 for a hearing.
The Chief Magistrate Mr. N.A. Layeni granted each defendant bail of N1 million, requiring two sureties per defendant, each of whom must be a company director.