A driver, Abiodun Ishola, who allegedly defrauded his neighbour of N90,000 on the pretext of helping her procure driver’s licences, on Monday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos. Ishola, 34, a resident of Dopemu area of Agege, Lagos, is being tried for fraud and stealing.
The Prosecutor, Insp. George Nwosu, told the court that the accused committed the offences in March 2014, at his residence.
Nwosu said that the accused unlawfully obtained N90,000 on pretext of procuring 10 driver’s licences for one of his neighbours, Mrs Bukola Bolarinwa.
“The accused fraudulently collected N90,000 from the complainant for driver’s licences, which he failed to do,” he said.
Nwosu said that the accused approached the complainant that he could assist people to procure driver’s licences and if the complainant wanted to get her own she should patronise him.
“When the complainant was ready to get her licence, she approached the accused and gave him the money to assist in procuring 10 driver’s licences for her and her friends,” he said.
The prosecutor said that the accused ran away after collecting the money.
“The accused disappeared into thin air after he collected the N90,000 from his neighbour (complainant).
“All efforts made by the complainant to get either the licences or money proved unsuccessful until the accused was arrested after about two years of his disappearance,” he said.
The offences, Nwosu said, contravened Sections 285 and 312 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
Section 312 prescribes a 15-year jail term as penalty for offenders.
The accused, however, pleaded innocence of the offences and was granted bail in the sum of N150,000 with two sureties in like sum.
The Magistrate, Mr A.A. Adesanya, adjourned the case till March 23 for mention.
NAN
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