Couple dragged to Court over alleged N6.4m fraud

A couple, Olubayo Temitope and Suliya Temitope have been dragged before a Magistrate Court sitting in Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo state, over an allleged fraud of N6.4 million.

The couple, 45-year-old trader, Olubayo and his wife, Suliya, 25, were brought before the Chief Magistrate B. A Ikusika, on two counts charge of fraud and obtaining money under false pretence.

According to the prosecution, the defendants committed the offences between January and August 2023, at Kajola in Araromi-Obu, Ondo State.

The Prosecutor, Inspector Muyideen Yekini, told the court that the defendants conspired to commit a felony to obtain money under false pretence.

Yekini disclosed that the couple fraudulently obtained the sum of N6.4 million from one Kazeem Mojirade Sarufat and Kazeem Morufat, with the pretence of supplying them kegs of palm oil.

He, however, said the couple failed to supply the Palm oil and converted the money for their personal use.

He said “The offences contravene Sections 516, 419 of the Criminal Code Cap. 37 Volume 1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.”

But when the charges were read to the defendants, they pleaded not guilty to the offences levelled against them.

The prosecutor sought an adjournment to enable him to study the case file and prepare his witnesses for trial.

He prayed the court to transfer the case file to Araromi-Obu Magistrate Court while the defence counsel, Mr O. J Ikudaisi, did not oppose the application, but he prayed the court to grant his clients bail in the most liberal terms.

The prosecutor, however, opposed the bail application earlier made by the defense counsel, saying the defendants would abuse the privilege if granted.

In his ruling, Chief Magistrate, B. A Ikusika, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N1 million each with two sureties in like sum.

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