Police dock businessman for allegedly defrauding Firm N18 m
By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
The Police Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID Annex) Alagbon, Ikoyi Lagos, on Friday docked a businessman Johnny Lulubarango before a Lagos Chief Magistrate Court presided over by Magistrate (Mrs) K. K. Soyinka.
The defendant was arraigned on alleged offences bothering on fraud and obtaining the sum of N18 million by false pretence.
The information as contained on the charge preferred against him was read to him.
According to the charge, the defendant who resides at Block 119, Plot 19a, Bosun Adekoya Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, committed the offences, sometimes in May 2022.
The defendant was alleged to have fraudulently and by false pretence, obtained the sum of N18 million, from a firm called ‘Nomba’, with a promise of investing the money in a business and return back the proceeds of the fund to the company
The prosecutor, Barrister Morufu Animashaun, told the court that defendant received the money from the company, in three tranches, which were paid to the following accounts in a bank, 08037954863, 08063507938 and 08033425261.
Animashaun submitted that after receiving the money, the defendant failed and refused to pay it back to the company but rather fled to Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, where he was later apprehended by the police operatives.
It was stated in the charge that the businessman’s alleged offence, contravened Sections 322 and 287(7)(d) of the Criminal Law Ch.C17, Vol 3, Laws of Lagos State 2015.
However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
Following his plea of ‘not guilty’, the prosecutor, asked the court for a trial date. He also urged the court to remand the defendant till the determination of the charges against him.
In his submission, the defendant’s counsel Omobolaji Adeyemi, pleaded with the court to grant his client bail in the most liberal terms, saying that charges against his client are bailable.
In her ruling, Magistrate Awoyinka granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N2 million with two responsible sureties in like sum.
According to the Magistrate, the sureties, must be residents of Lagos State, with evidence of three years tax payment to Lagos State. And that they must have bank account having N2 million, which will be in the account till the determination of the charge.
Magistrate Awoyinka while adjourning the matter till June 23, 2023, for mention, ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of Nigerian Correctional Services till the perfection of the bail conditions.
