MICHAEL AKINOLA
The Police from Ejigbo Division have have arrested a 35-year old married woman, Mrs. Success Nneamaka, for allegedly swindling a male church member, Godson Chiemena Onuoha, to the tune of N7.5m under false pretence in Lagos State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the suspect, Mrs. Nneamaka, convinced Mr. Onuoha to give her the money in question for her to invest in a business and that she will refund the money in three months as well as giving him five percent interest on the money.
The victim, Mr. Onuoha, believed her because she was a member of the church, where two of them were leaders. He asked her to come to NNPC Road in Ejigbo and he gave her the money on 19th October, 2023.
However, after the period Mrs. Nneamaka promised to refund the money passed, she was unable to do so. She instead prepared a post dated Zenith Bank cheque with the account number, 0106773838 and gave to him.
Unknown to the complainant that it was a scam, he went to the bank to cash the total sum of N8.625m, which included the interest she promised to add while paying the money.
However, at the bank, the management informed the complainant that there was no money in the account and they will not honour the cheque.
The matter was reported to the Police at Ejigbo Division. Mrs. Nneamaka was then arrested and detained at the station for interrogation over her alleged conduct.
During the interrogation, she admitted to have collected the money and issued the bank cheque despite the fact that that she knew that she had no such money in her account.
The Police found her culpable and consequently charged her before the Ejigbo Magistrate Court for the alleged fraud and stealing under the Criminal Laws of the State.
She pleaded not guilty.
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 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 15th October, 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.