A 44-year-old businessman, Musiliu Ganiyu, has opted to go to prison than refund over N5m, which he swindled a victim, Sheriff Hazmat, under false pretence in Lagos State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the suspect, Ganiyu, was arraigned before the Badagry Chief Magistrate Court in Lagos State for allegedly swindling the victim, Hazmat over business transactions.
He was alleged to have collected some goods from the complainant worth the said amount and promised to pay at a later date. However, after he collected the goods, instead of paying the money, he absconded and went into hiding before he was later arrested and charged before the Court.
When he was arraigned, instead of wasting the time of the Court, coupled with the weight of evidence before the Court and to get lesser jail term, he pleaded guilty and begged the Court for leniency over his conduct.
The prosecutor, Supol Edet Ekpo, told the Court that the defendant committed the offence on 23rd August, 2025, at about 8.00.p.m at Ijanikin area of Lagos by collecting the goods in question and bolted away with the the money.
The matter was reported to the Police, who moved into action and eventually arrested him for the offence which attracts several years of imprisonment.
Supol Ekpo said that the accused obtained goods valued at N5,030,000 under false pretence from the complainant, Sheriff Hazmat and conducted himself in a manner likely to cause the breach of peace by running away with goods valued at N5,030,000.
The prosecutor stated that Ganiyu converted the goods to his own and thereby committed an offence which contravened the provisions of Sections 314, 168 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
The Presiding Magistrate, Mr. Nurudeen Layeni, ordered his remand at Nigerian Custodial Centre in Badagry till 8th October, 2025, for facts and sentencing.