Businesswoman faces N1.2m fraud charge

iyebiye olawuyi

May 31, 2017 2:38 PM

The accused who resides in Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of fraud and stealing.

Chief Magistrate O.A. Olayinka, granted the suspect bail in the sum of N100,000, with two sureties in like sum.

A businesswoman, Chidinma Okoro, who allegedly defrauded two men of N1.2 million, was on Wednesday arraigned in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.

The accused, 44, who resides at No. 2, Church St., Ogundare Estate, Aminkanle area of Alagbado in Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of fraud and stealing.

The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Peter Nwangwu, told the court that the accused committed the offences between Feb. 2 and Aug. 30, 2014, at his residence.

He alleged that the accused fraudulently obtained the cash sum of N1.2million from the complainants, Mr Emenike Daniel and Mr Utoh Chijioke.

“The accused collected the said amount from the complainants on the pretext of supplying them goods from the U.S and U.K, as agreed upon,” he said.

Nwangwu alleged that the complainants paid the sum of N1.2million into the Access Bank and Zenith Bank accounts of the accused.

He told the court that Okoro reneged on the agreement and refused to refund the money to the complainants.

“The accused absconded and relocated to an unknown destination until she was recently apprehended by the police,” Nwangwu said

The offences contravened Sections 285 and 313 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 313 prescribes a 15-year jail term for offenders, while Section 285 stipulates three years imprisonment.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Y.O. Aje-Afunwa, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000, with two sureties in like sum.

She said the sureties must show evidence of three years tax payment to the Lagos State Government and adjourned the case until June 17, for hearing.

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