MICHAEL AKINOLA
A 63-year old travel agent, Adedotun Daniel, has been arrested and charged for allegedly swindling three victims to the tune of N19. 728m under the false pretence of procuring travelling documents for the applicants, which turned out to be a scam in Ondo State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the agent has been charged before the Ondo State Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Akure town and remanded in custody over his alleged conduct.
According to the Police, the agent and others now at large on different dates obtained different sums of money from the three persons to the total amount in question and issued a dud cheque to one of the persons he obtained money from.
The defendant and others still at large were charged with six-count charge ranging from conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretence and stealing by conversion sometime in February, 2023.
Part of the charges read: “That you Adedotun Daniel ‘m’ and others still at large sometime in the month of February 2023 at Akure in the Akure Magisterial district, did conspire with yourselves to commit felony to wit obtaining money under false pretence and Stealing by conversion and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 516 of the criminal code cap 37 vol. I, laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006″.
“That you Adedotun Daniel did with false pretence and with intent to defraud obtains the sum of N9,228,000.00k from Mr. Adesohun Folayele Clement under the pretence of using same to procure certificate of sponsorship from the united state of America which you failed to do so and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 (1) (a) (c) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the advance free fraud and other fraud related offences Act, laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2006.”
“That you Adedotun Daniel did fraudulently convert the sum of N9,228,000.00k only belonging to one Adesohun Folayele Clement to your own uses and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 383 and punishable under Section 390 (9) of the criminal code cap.39 vol. laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.”
“That you Adedotun Daniel sometime in the month of July, 2023 Akure did with false pretence and with intent to defraud obtain: the sum of N7,000,000.00k from Mrs. Jombo Christianah under the pretence of using same sum of money to procure United State of America Visa for he younger sister Mrs.Aderonke Ayangbemi, which you failed to do so and thereby committed (3) of the an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) (c) and punishable under section advance free fraud and other fraud related offences Acts, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2006.”
“That you Adedotun Daniel sometime in the month of June, 2023 at Akure did with false pretence and with intent to defraud obtains the sum of N3,500,000.00k only from Mr. Kehinde Femi Bayode under the pretence of using same amount to procure United State of America Visa for him, which you failed to do so and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) (c) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the advance free fraud and other fraud related offences Acts, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2006.”
“That you Adedotun Daniel on the 31st Oct, 2023 at about 12:00pm did issue a Zenith Bank Checque No 0082143974 domiciled at Zenith Bank plc, Akure to pay Mrs. Jombo Christianah the sum of N5,000,000.00k only of which you know that the account is not funded for the transaction and the checque was dishonored and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 (i) b (i & ii) of dishonor checque (Offences) Acts, cap. Dll laws of the federation of Nigeria 2004.”
The prosecutor, Inspector Wada Simeon, told the Court to remand the respondent in custody at the Correctional Facility pending the hearing of the matter.
The counsel to the defendant, O.O.Oladapo, told the Court that the prosecutor served them the remand application in the Court and appealed to the Court to remand the defendant in Police custody till the next sitting.
The Presiding Chief Magistrate, Damilola Sekoni, granted the defendant’s counsel application and subsequently adjourned the matter till Monday,18th December, 2023, while he ordered the defendant to be remanded in Police custody.