Businessman faces N510,000 ceramic fraud charge

A 33-year-old businessman, Innocent Ikenna, who allegedly obtained ceramic worth N510,000 under false pretences, on Wednesday appeared before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

Ikenna, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

But the Police Prosecutor, Cpl. Ibijoke Akinpelu, told the court that Ikenna committed the offences sometime in Oct. 2016 at Shop 31, along Ikeja on Oshodi-Abule Egba Expressway, Lagos.

Akinpelu alleged that the accused with two others still at large asked the complainant, Kola Collins, to sell ceramic worth N510,000 to him on the pretext that he would pay in a couple of weeks.

She explained that the accused failed to pay as promised and constantly came up with excuses over delayed payment.

The offences contravened Sections 278, 315 (1) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 278 provides three years imprisonment, while Section 315 (1) stipulates 15 years for obtaining by false pretences.

The Magistrate, Mrs. A. F. Adeeyo, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case until Oct. 4 for mention.