A 43-year old man, Olumide Owoseni, has been arrested and charged in Lagos State for allegedly swindling a woman, Ifeoluwa Bello, to the tune of N19m under the false pretence of selling a parcel of land to her.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened in March, 2020 at Ketu area of Lagos.
According to the Police, the suspect told the victim that he had a parcel of land he wanted to sell. The victim paid the money and wanted to take possession. It was then she realized that she had been duped as the suspect bolted away and disconnected every communication she had with him.
The matter was reported to the Commissioner of Police Special Squad at the State Command, Ikeja. The operatives moved into action, eventually arrested the suspect and detained at the Command for interrogation over his alleged conduct.
During interrogation, he admitted to have collected the money and had no land to sell to her but had already spent the whole money she paid to him.
The Police found him culpable and charged him before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence under the Criminal Laws of the State.
The charges read:
That you, Olumade Owoseni ‘m’ and others now at large, in the month of March, 2020 at Ketu Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: Obtaining money by false pretence, stealing and thereby committer an offence Contrary to and Punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
COUNT II: That you, Olumade Owoseni ‘m’ and others now at large, on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid Magisterial District, did obtain the sum of N19,000,000.00 from one Ifeoluwa Bello ‘Y’ under the pretence that you wanted to sell plots of land to her, knowing same to be false and thereby committe an offence Contrary to Section 313 and Punishable under Section 314(1)(a)(3) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
COUNT III: That you, Olumade Owoseni ‘m’ and others now at large, on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid Magisterial District, did steal the sum of N19,000,000.00, property of one Ifeoluwa Bello ‘f’ and thereby committer an offence Contrary to Section 280(1)(a)(b) and Punishable under Section 247 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
He pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Inspector John Iberedem, then 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, Mrs. E. Kubenije, granted him bail in the sum of N5m 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 13th November, 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.