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A man, Solomon Izuagwu, has been arrested by the police for allegedly defrauding a shop-seeking trader at the Iyana Ipaja area of Lagos State.
The suspect was alleged to have also obtained a loan by false pretences from a micro-finance bank.
Newsmen gathered that Izuagwu collected N800,000 as payment for two years’ rent for a shop he put up for rent from the trader, Emmanuel Obiora, in April 2018.
It was reported that the 42-year-old rented the shop to another trader and refused to refund Obiora’s money.
A worker with Fina Trust Micro-finance Bank, Blessing Udide, also alleged that the Anambra State indigene borrowed the sum of N400,000 from the bank and reneged on the agreement of paying back N83,000 monthly for six months.
In his statement to the police, Izuagwu admitted to the offences.
He said, “I informed an agent, who is a pastor, that I wanted to rent the shop out. I told him that I was giving it out at the rate of N25,000 per month and would collect money for two years’ rent.
“He brought Obiora to me and told me that he was willing to take up the shop. Obiora transferred N650,000 to my Fidelity Bank account. Suddenly, the agent told me that Obiora said he was no longer interested in taking the place and he (agent) brought another person to rent the shop.
“The money Obiora paid is in my account, the remaining N150,000 is between pastor and another agent. I know it is an offence for me not to have refunded the money to Obiora.”
Izuagwu was arraigned before an Ogba Magistrates’ Court on five counts bordering on obtaining under false pretences and stealing.
The police prosecutor, Abiola Adewale, said the offences contravened sections 411, 314(1)(a), 287, 315(1)(a)(b) 363(1)(a) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
The charges read in part, “That you, Solomon Izuagwu, and two others at large, sometime in April 2018 around 10am, at the Iyana Ipaja Market, Alimosho, Lagos, in the Ikeja Magisterial District, did conspire to commit felony.
“That you, Solomon Izuagwu, and two others at large, on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned magisterial district, did by false pretences obtain the sum of N800,000 for rent of a shop at the Iyana Ipaja Market from one Emmanuel Obiora.
“That you, Solomon Izuagwu, on July 26, 2018, around 10am at the Iyana Ipaja Market, Alimosho, Lagos, in the Ikeja Magisterial District, did obtain credit by false pretences, to defraud Fina Trust Micro-finance Bank of the sum of N510,000.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges
The magistrate, Mrs T.A. Ojo, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
She adjourned the case till October 11, 2018.
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The suspect was alleged to have also obtained a loan by false pretences from a micro-finance bank.
Newsmen gathered that Izuagwu collected N800,000 as payment for two years’ rent for a shop he put up for rent from the trader, Emmanuel Obiora, in April 2018.
It was reported that the 42-year-old rented the shop to another trader and refused to refund Obiora’s money.
A worker with Fina Trust Micro-finance Bank, Blessing Udide, also alleged that the Anambra State indigene borrowed the sum of N400,000 from the bank and reneged on the agreement of paying back N83,000 monthly for six months.
In his statement to the police, Izuagwu admitted to the offences.
He said, “I informed an agent, who is a pastor, that I wanted to rent the shop out. I told him that I was giving it out at the rate of N25,000 per month and would collect money for two years’ rent.
“He brought Obiora to me and told me that he was willing to take up the shop. Obiora transferred N650,000 to my Fidelity Bank account. Suddenly, the agent told me that Obiora said he was no longer interested in taking the place and he (agent) brought another person to rent the shop.
“The money Obiora paid is in my account, the remaining N150,000 is between pastor and another agent. I know it is an offence for me not to have refunded the money to Obiora.”
Izuagwu was arraigned before an Ogba Magistrates’ Court on five counts bordering on obtaining under false pretences and stealing.
The police prosecutor, Abiola Adewale, said the offences contravened sections 411, 314(1)(a), 287, 315(1)(a)(b) 363(1)(a) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
The charges read in part, “That you, Solomon Izuagwu, and two others at large, sometime in April 2018 around 10am, at the Iyana Ipaja Market, Alimosho, Lagos, in the Ikeja Magisterial District, did conspire to commit felony.
“That you, Solomon Izuagwu, and two others at large, on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned magisterial district, did by false pretences obtain the sum of N800,000 for rent of a shop at the Iyana Ipaja Market from one Emmanuel Obiora.
“That you, Solomon Izuagwu, on July 26, 2018, around 10am at the Iyana Ipaja Market, Alimosho, Lagos, in the Ikeja Magisterial District, did obtain credit by false pretences, to defraud Fina Trust Micro-finance Bank of the sum of N510,000.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges
The magistrate, Mrs T.A. Ojo, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
She adjourned the case till October 11, 2018.
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