MICHAEL AKINOLA
A 35-year old lady, Oluwakemi Moruf, has been arrested and charged in Lagos State for allegedly swindling a business woman, Patience Attah, to the tune of over N2.5m under the pretence of supplying her 66 bags of rice, which was false.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Agege area of Lagos, where the defendant, Oluwakemi and one other person now at large accosted the victim.
According to the Police, the suspect and others accosted the victim and told her that they had the rice to supply and asked her to pay the money so that they will effect the supply.
The victim believed the suspect, gave her the money in question and she promised to bring the items at a particular period unknown to the victim that she had another motive.
After collecting the money, she bolted away, disconnected every communication she had with the victim and escaped to an unknown place.
The matter was reported to the Police at Area G Command, Ogba, Lagos. The operatives moved into action, eventually arrested and then detained her for interrogation over her alleged conduct.
During interrogation, the suspect admitted to have collected the money and claimed that she has spent the money and had no money to refund her.
The Police found her culpable and consequently charged her before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence under the Criminal Laws of the State, which attracts several years of imprisonment.
However, she pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Supol Oje Uagbale, then asked the Court to give a date for hearing since she pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that she actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. O.O. Hughes, granted her bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and addresses will be verified by the Court.
The matter was adjourned for mention while the defendant was remanded in custody at the correctional center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when she will perfect her bail conditions.