65-year-old man remanded for N3m fraud
The Chief Magistrate Court, Yaba, remanded 65-year-old Abdullahi Bello on Wednesday for allegedly stealing N3m under the pretext of building a truck bucket that safely lifts people into the air to perform work that they cannot easily or safely reach even with a ladder.
He was arraigned by the Lagos State Police Command before Magistrate O.Y. Adefope.
He was charged with two counts of intent to defraud and fraudulently converting the sum of N3m paid to him for contract work for personal use.
The charges alleged that sometime in May 2023, at No. 40, Raymond Okpara Crescent, Okota, Lagos, the defendant fraudulently took the sum of N3m from one Ezeife Nnamdi under the pretext of helping him build a truck bucket, a representation he knew was false, and converted the money to his personal use.
PUNCH Metro gathered that a report was made at the police station by Ezeife on August 17, 2023, stating that he paid Abdullahi the sum of N3m to help him fix his truck bucket, and he promised that it would be available in three weeks. He further claimed that after three weeks, he called, but the truck bucket was not delivered, and he called Abdullahi, who refused to pick up his calls anymore.
After the report was made, PUNCH Metro learnt that the defendant was invited to the police station and questioned. He volunteered his statement and confirmed that he was paid to deliver a truck bucket but used the money for something else.
Prosecutor Haruna Magaji informed the court that the alleged offences were committed sometime in May 2023, at No. 40, Raymond Okpara Crescent, Okota, Lagos.
He stated that the alleged offences contravened Section 314 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015, and Section 280(1), punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
He also stated that the receipt of the transaction, the statement of the defendant given at the station, and the statement of the complainant served as evidence against the defendant.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges alleged against him.
Adefope ordered a bail bond of N500,000 to be paid and two sureties to be provided. She also stated that the defendant be remanded in police custody until he had perfected his bail condition.
The case was adjourned until August 7, 2024, for further hearing.
