A 38-year-old man, Olumide Ogunbolude has been arraigned before an Ebute-Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos State, for allegedly defrauding his in-law, Taiwo Elegbede, of over N9m. The money was meant to be used to purchase a Range Rover SUV.
The incident happened in Alagbado area of the state and the defendant’s wife happened to be a sister to the complainant.
She was said to have introduced her husband to Ogunbolude as a dealer, when he needed to purchase a car in 2013. Following the introduction, the accused was paid an initial sum of $39,500, before being given an additional N1.6m.
Ogunbolude’s inability to produce the car a year after receiving the money led the complainant to report the matter to the police in April, 2015.
The suspect however pleaded for more time and was alleged to have later issued a dub cheque when he could not meet up.
Following the issuance of dub cheque, Ogunbolude was then arrested and charged to court on Tuesday by detectives from the State Department of Criminal Investigation, Yaba, on three counts of fraud, stealing and issuance of a dud cheque.
The charges read in part, “That you, Olumide Ogunbolude, sometime in October 2013, on Ogo Oluwa Street, Alagbado, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of $39,500 and the sum of N1.6m only, total of N9,105,000 from one Taiwo Elegbede under the pretext that you are in a position to assist him to purchase a Range Rover 2011 model, a representation you knew to be false.
“That you, on May 11, 2015, with intent to defraud, did issue an Enterprise Bank cheque leaflet no 19511754 for the sum of N9, 105, 000 in favour of one Taiwo Elegbede, and when presented for payment at the bank, was dishonoured for insufficient funds to the credit of the drawer of the cheque in the bank in which the cheque was drawn.”
According to the police prosecutor, Matthew Ibe, the offences were punishable under sections 312, 285 and 313 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.
Ogunbolude however pleaded not guilty to the charges, while his defence counsel, F.S. Oladele, applied for his bail in liberal terms.
In his view, the Chief Magistrate, I.O. Adelaja, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
Adelaja adjourned the case till November 18.
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