A 28-year old man, Chidubem Okoye, has been arrested and charged in Lagos State for allegedly swindling an Alaba Market businessman, Augustine Chika, under false pretence.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident between 10th August and 28th October, 2024, at No. 9, Ezrabata Street, Mosafejo, Ojo area of Lagos.
According to the Police, the complainant gave the suspect the total sum of N47,275,000.00 to pay the RMB Yuan equivalent to his Chinese customer’s account.
However, after the suspect received the money, he bolted away and did not pay the money into the Chinese customer’s account as directed by the complainant.
The matter was reported to the Police at Ojo Division. The suspect was then arrested and detained at the station for interrogation over his alleged conduct.
After rounds of interrogation, the Police found him culpable and consequently charged him before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment.
The charges read:
“That you, Chidubem Okoye M’and others now at large sometime between 10th day of August, 2024 and 28th day of October, 2024 at Ezrabata Street, Mosafejo, Ojo, in the Ojo Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit OBT and therely committed an offence punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Lass of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
COUNT II: “That you, Chidubem Okoye ‘M’ and other’s now at large, on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned Manisterial Distrat, did fraudulently obtain total sum of N47,275,000.00 (Forty Seven Mi lion, Two Hundred and Seventy Five Thousand Naira) from one Augustine Chika ‘M’ under the pretence to pay RMB Yuan equivalent to his Chinese Customer’s account, a presentation you know to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 314 (1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
COUNT III:”That you, Chidubem Okoye “M’ and others now at large, on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did steal a total sum of N47,275,000.00 (Forty Seven Million. Two Hundred and Seventy Five Thousand Nairaj, property of one Augustine Chika ‘M’ and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
However, he pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Inspector Esther Adesulu, asked the Court to give a date for hearing since he pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that he actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mr. L.K.J. Layeni, granted him bail in the sum of N1m 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 24th April, 2025, for mention while the defendant was remanded in custody at the correctional center pending when he will perfect his bail conditions.