The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal office, on Friday, arraigned one Balami Abdullahi before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence and stealing to the tune of N15,800,000.00 (Fifteen Million, Eight Hundred Naira).
The defendant allegedly defrauded one Alhaji Buba Kimba of the said sum by falsely representing to him that he had 40, 000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil to sell.
However, the defendant allegedly failed to deliver the product and all efforts by the complainant to retrieve the money from him proved abortive.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Balami Abdullahi, on or about the 24th day of December, 2018 in Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division, with intent to defraud, knowingly obtained the aggregate sum of N15, 800, 000. 00 (Fifteen Million Eight Hundred Naira Only) from one Alhaji Buba Kimba under the false pretence that the said sum represented the cost for the sale of 40, 000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil, which you had and ready to sell and deliver to the said Alhaji Buba Kimba and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) and 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, Abass Mohammed, prayed the court for a trial date and asked that the defendant be remanded in prison custody.
Justice Dada adjourned the matter to February 3, 2020 and ordered the defendant to be remanded in prison custody.
Packaged by Emmanuel Okafor
