Woman charged with obtaining N5.2m for surrogate mother scam remanded 

A 39-year-old woman, Olushola Balogun, who was charged with obtaining N5.2 million under the pretext of arranging a surrogate mother, is to remain in a correctional facility, pending when her bail conditions will be met, a court has ruled.

Chief Magistrate Bola Folarin-Williams, of an Ebute-Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, gave the ruling after the defendant had pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Folarin-Williams ordered the remand of the defendant in Kirikiri correctional facility, pending the perfection of her bail conditions.

She granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N500,000, with two responsible sureties in like sum.

The defendant, of no fixed address, is being tried on a six-count charge of obtaining by false pretences, impersonation, forgery, threat to life, breach of peace and stealing.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Supl Paul Orji, told the court that the defendant, between June 6, 2022 and March 5, 2023, assured a couple, Olusegun Oso and Olabisi Oso, that she could arrange for a surrogate mother.

Orji said that the defendant committed the offences at GVM Homeopathy/IVF Hospital, situated at No. 20, Sangowewe street, Igbo Oluwo Estate, Ikorodu, Lagos.

He further stated that the defendant, who posed as a doctor, lured the couple into investing the sum of N5.2 million in a surrogate fertility exercise.

The prosecutor explained that the defendant falsely led the couple into believing her claim by forging a Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) letterhead.

The offences, according to him, contravene Sections 56, 168, 287, 365, 314 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

The chief magistrate, however, adjourned the matter till Jan. 31, 2024 for mention.