A 47-year-old businessman, Omuni Olakunle, appeared in a Yaba Chief Magistrates’Court in Lagos, for allegedly swindling a wood seller of N4.5 million.
Olakunle, who resides in Surulere area of Lagos is charged with two counts of theft and obtaining by false pretences.
He, however pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Police prosecutor, Sgt. Modupe Olaluwoye told the court that the defendant committed the offence in 2018, at Apapa area of Lagos.
According to her, the defendant, who was a timber supplier deceived the complainant, Mr Jimoh Olatunde into believing that he can supply timber worth N4.5 million.
Olaluwoye told the court that Olatunde paid the N4.5 million into the defendant’s company account; Sanomium International Venture in July 2018.
She said that when the supply date passed, the defendant was no longer picking the complainants’ calls and even changed his phone number and moved to Oyo state to hide.
She told the court that the defendant had been on the run since August 2018 but was recently tracked down and apprehended.
The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of sections 287 and 314 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015 (Revised).
NAN reports that Section 287 stipulates a three-year jail term for the offence of stealing while 314 carries 15 years for obtaining by false pretences.
Magistrate E.N. Ojuromi admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
Ojuromi ordered that one of the sureties must be above 40 years and both must reside within the court’s jurisdiction with evidence of three years tax payment to the Lagos State Government each.
She adjourned the case until March 30 for mention.
