A 58- year-old businessman, Olubunmi Akinwande, on Monday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos charged with fraudulently obtaining N1.6million with the pretext of procuring visa for another person.
Akinwande is under trial for obtaining money under false pretences and stealing.
The Prosecutor, ASP Bisi Ogunleye, told the court that the defendant committed the offences in September 2020 at Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri, Lagos.
Ogunleye said that the defendant obtained the money from Mr Emmanuel Essien with the pretext of helping him to procure United Kingdom visa, a representation he knew to be false.
“The defendant collected the money but failed to get the complainant the visa.
“Efforts made by the complainant to get the visa or retrieve his money proved unsuccessful as the defendant refused to pick his calls.
“The case was therefore reported leading to the arrest of the defendant,” he said.
Ogunleye said the alleged offences contravened sections 287 and 314 of 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 attracts 15 years imprisonment for obtaining money under false pretences.
Following his plea of not guilty, Magistrate Ejiro Kubeinje released the defendant on a bail of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
Kubeinje said that the sureties should be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
The magistrate fixed further hearing for March 24.
