MICHAEL AKINOLA
A 47-year old businessman, Nkeweumem Idongesit, has been arrested by the Police operatives from Zone 2 Command, Lagos, for allegedly swindling his customer, Chinedu Onajiaka, to the tune of N60m under false pretence.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the suspect, Idongesit, allegedly approached the victim, Onajiaka, requesting a loan of N60m to enable him to execute a contract with the promise to repay the said amount with interest within an agreed period. He trusted him and gave him the money.
However, the whole thing turned into a scam when it got to the agreed period for him to refund the money. He deliberately issued 6 First Bank of Nigeria cheques totaling N60 million to Onajiaka as payment.
However, when Onajiaka presented the cheques at the bank, they were dishonored due to insufficient funds in the suspect’s accounts and he knew that he had no such money in the account.
The matter was reported to the Police through a petition to the Zone 2 Police Command. The operatives moved into action, arrested the suspect and detained him at the Command for interrogation over his alleged conduct.
After interrogation, the Police found him culpable and subsequently charged him before the Igbosere Magistrate Court, sitting at the Tinubu Magistrate Court on Lagos Island, on a four-count charge of obtaining money by false pretence and fraudulent conversion.
The Police prosecuting counsel, Supol Francis Igbinosa, informed the Court in the case marked A/31/2024 that the defendant committed the offence in April 2023 in Victoria Island, Lagos.
Igbinosa stated that Idongesit deceived the complainant into providing the N60 million, under the pretence of using the money for a contract, but instead converted the funds for his personal use and issued fraudulent cheques as repayment.
The prosecutor stated that the charges against the defendant were punishable under the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015, which attracts several years of imprisonment.
However, Idongesit pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned.
The Presiding Chief Magistrate, Ogunkanmi, granted him bail in the sum of N1 million, with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment while addresses will be verified by the Court.
The matter was adjourned till 22nd November, 2024, for trial while the defendant was remanded in custody at the correctional center at Ikoyi, Lagos, pending when he will perfect his bail conditions.