Court remands man in prison for allegedly cheating another of N4 million

A Gudu Upper Area Court, Abuja, on Wednesday remanded one Fashola Fatoba in prison over alleged cheating and N4 million fraud.

Fatoba denied committing the crime, while the judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, adjourned the case till Oct. 6 for the hearing of the defendant’s bail application.

The defendant was arraigned on a four-count charge, bordering on criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, theft and belonging to a gang of fraudsters.

Prosecutor John Ijagbemi told the court that one Emmanuel Okafor of Garki, Abuja, reported the matter at the Police Command Headquarters, Abuja, on Sept. 8.

He said while the plaintiff was at Area 3, Garki, Abuja on the said date, the defendant approached him pretending to be a dealer on herbal medicine.

The prosecutor said that the plaintiff became interested because he was sick at that time.

He further said the defendant told the plaintiff that his illness was also spiritual, and lured him to Apo, Abuja, where Ibrahim Fadele, Muyiwa and Kassem, now at large, deceived him to bring N4 million.

The prosecutor said the defendant and the three others at large, told the plaintiff that they were going to pray with the money, and thereafter return the money to him.

“The plaintiff took the money to the defendant, but suddenly felt suspicious and demanded to leave with his money.

“The defendant, however, forcefully pushed the plaintiff out of the house and escaped with the money,’’ he said.

Ijagbemi also said that the defendant was eventually arrested, but the three others were still at large.

He said the defendant admitted to being a member of gang of fraudsters, and that he shared the money with the three others at large.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 97, 312, 287 and 306 of the Penal Code.