MICHAEL AKINOLA
A car dealer, Oyunranti Charles, has been swindled of N20m in Lagos State by one Ayodeji Abidoye, who allegedly collected his Toyota Avalon and Lexus SUV worth N20m to sell to customers and it turned out to be a scam.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Ketu area of Lagos, where the complainant had a car stand.
The man, Ayodeji Abidoye has been arrested and charged for stealing under the Criminal Laws of the State over his alleged conduct against the complainant.
According to the Police, the suspect told the complainant that he had a buyer, who wanted to buy the vehicle and asked him to allow him to drive the vehicles to sell to the undisclosed buyer.
After the suspect collected the vehicles, he bolted away, never returned the vehicles nor returned the money and he as well disconnected every communication he had with the complainant.
The matter was reported to the Police. The operatives moved into action, eventually arrested the suspect and detained him at the Command for interrogation over his alleged conduct.
After rounds of interrogation, the Police found him culpable and consequently charged him before the Ebute Metta Magistrate Court for the alleged offence which attracts several years of imprisonment.
The charges read:
COUNT I: “That you, Ayodeji Abidoye ‘M’ on or before the month of February, 2024 at Ketu Lagos, in the Lagos State Magisterial district, did obtain unregistered Toyota Avalon car, valued N3,000,000.00 and Lexus 350 SUV model 2018 valued N17,500,000.00 from Oyunranti Charles ‘m’ under the pretence to sale and remit the proceed, a representation you know to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 314 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.”
COUNT II:” That you, Ayodeji Abidoye ‘M’ on or before the month of February, 2024 at Ketu Lagos, in the Lagos State Magisterial district, did fraudulently steal the sum of N20,500,000.00 Twenty Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira, being the proceed of the sales of Toyota Avalon car and Lexus 350 SUV model 2018, property of Oyunranti Charles ‘m’ and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 287 (9)(a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.”
However, he pleaded not guilty.
The Prosecutor, Supol Olatunde Kehinde, 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. F.M.Kayode-Alamu, granted him bail with two sureties, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment while addresses will be verified by the Court.
The matter was adjourned for mention while the defendant was remanded in custody at the correctional center pending when he will perfect his bail conditions.