KINGSLEY EBERE
A 39-year old man, Abdulwahab Abdullah, has been arrested and charged in Lagos State for allegedly swindling a man, Egbo Edafetano, to the tune of N2.1m under false pretence of installation of solar system inverter.
P.M.EXPRESS reports the incident happened at Ikotun area of Lagos where the complainant, Edafetano met the defendant, Abdullah and paid him the money to install the Inverter which turned to be a scam.
According to the Police, the defendant had between November and December,2023 convinced the victim that he was a professional electrician that can install inverter solar system and collected the money in question.
However, after the complainant paid him the money through his GT Bank account with number, 0168421919 and they agreed that he would install the Inverter at an agreed period, he was unable to do so nor returned the money which he gave him to procure the Inverter.
The matter was reported to the Police at Ikotun Division and he was arrested and detained at the station for interrogation over his alleged conduct. During interrogation, the Police disclosed that he had spent the money and doesn’t have the knowledge on solar System installation.
Thus, he was charged before the Ejigbo Magistrates Court on a three-count charge of fraud, condudct likely to cause breach of public peace and stealing under the Criminal law of the State.
The prosecutor, Supol Benedict Aigbokhan, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on Nov. 24, 2023 and Dec. 1, 2023, at Ikotun, Lagos by falsely presented himself as a professional solar inverter installer and obtained the sum of N2.1 million from the complainant, one Mr Egbo Edafetano.
He explained that the defendant was not competent and could not render a good service and converted the money paid to him to his personal use whichcontravened Sections 168 (d), 287 and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos, 2015.
He pleaded not guilty.
The Presiding Magistrate, Miss K. A. Ariyo, granted him bail in the sum of N500,000 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 8th July, 2024 for mention while the defendant was remanded in custody at the correctional center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when he will perfect his bail conditions.