The Police on Friday arraigned five men before a Yaba Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for alleged N10 million fraud.
The defendants are Ridwan Mufutau, 24; Tobiloba Philips, 19; Demola Adeile, 24; Bolutife Adeile, 22; and Kehinde Akinyemi, 26.
They are facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, cheating and stealing.
The Police prosecutor, Sgt. Godwin Oriabure told the court that the defendants committed the offences in January at Ladi Lak, Bariga area of Lagos.
He alleged that one of the defendants had used the phone of the complainant, Miss Mariam Adewunmi, from her apartment to hack into her Facebook page and bank account.
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Oriabure told the court that the defendants thereafter posted fake pictures of jewellery on the complainant’s page with their account details and scammed her of N10 million.
“My Lord, the total amount that was transferred from her account and collected from her customers to supply the fake jewellery was N10 million,” the prosecutor told the court.
He said the offences contravened Sections 411 and 323 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 323 carries seven years imprisonment upon conviction.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge and were each granted bail in the sum of N250,000 with two sureties each in like sum.
Magistrate Oluwatoyin Ojuromi, who granted them bail, ordered that all the sureties must be gainfully employed and should show evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
The Magistrate adjourned the case till June 10 for mention.
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