KINGSLEY EBERE
A 45-year old lady, Aina Elizabeth, has been arrested and charged in Lagos State for allegedly swindling a woman, Olawunmi Kudirat Salami, to the tune of N2.5m under the false pretence of procuring gold from Dubai but it turned out to be a scam.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the alleged fraud took place at Akowonjo Road, Egbeda area of Lagos.
The suspect convinced the victim that she usually travels to Dubai and had links on where to buy her gold jewelries at a cheaper rate, which attracted the interest of the victim.
The victim, Salami, gave her the money in November, 2023 and she promised to bring the gold jewelries on an agreed date when she will return from Dubai.
However, after collecting the money, she bolted away and disconnected every communication she had with the victim and did not supply the gold as she had promised.
The matter was reported to the Police at Area P Command, Ipaja, of the Lagos State Command. She was trailed, eventually arrested and detained at the Command for interrogation over her alleged conduct.
During interrogation, she admitted to have collected the money and had used it to solve her personal problems as such had no money to refund her.
The Police found her culpable and subsequently charged her before the Ejigbo Magistrate Court for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment.
However, she pleaded not guilty when she was arraigned.
The prosecutor, Inspector Simeon Njue, 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. A.K. Dosumu-Uthman, granted her bail in the sum of N700,000 with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment while addresses verified by the Court.
The matter was adjourned till 5th June, 2024, 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.