A 26-year-old man, Ayobami Afolabi, on Tuesday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly defrauding a Taxify driver of N10,000.
Afolabi, who resides in Ikorodu area of Lagos, is facing charges of conspiracy, stealing and obtaining money under false pretences.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The defendant committed the offences on May 13, at Ogunmokun, Mushin, Lagos, the Police Prosecutor, Insp. Aondohemba Koti told the court.
Koti said that the defendant duped the complainant, Mr Raheem Yusuf of N10,000.
“The defendant called the complainant, requesting him to pick up an item in Mushin and deliver to him at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
“On getting to where he will pick the item, a man approached him and gave him a packaged phone to give to the defendant.
‘The defendant called and asked the complainant to give the man N10,000, that when he delivered the phone, he would pay him the money together with the fare.
“When the complainant got to the hotel, he did not see the defendant; he called the phone number but it was no longer reachable.
“He decided to check the package and discovered that it was not a phone that was packaged in the iPhone pack,” the prosecutor said.
Koti said that a few days later, the complainant apprehended the man who gave him the item, who then produced the defendant.
According to the prosecutor, the offences contravened Sections 287, 314 and 411of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 287 prescribes three years jail term for stealing, while Section 314 stipulates 15 years for obtaining money under false pretences.
The Magistrate, Mrs M.O. Tanimola granted the defendant bail in the sum of N50, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
Tanimola said the sureties should be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
She adjourned the case until June 11.
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