The police in Lagos arraigned an Internet car dealer, Abiola Akinlonu, before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court on Monday for alleged conversion of N5m into personal
use. The suspect was arrested by the police in January 2016 by operatives of the Special Fraud Unit in Ikoyi, Lagos, for reportedly defrauding a neigbour, Ikena Ezeoka, of the sum.
The duo lived on Abbi Street, Mende, in the Maryland area. Ezeoka approached the defendant, who usually came home with different vehicles, sometime in 2013 that he needed two vehicles – a Ford Explorer 2007/2008 model and a Range Rover 2007 model.
Akinlonu showed pictures of the cars to Ezeoka on his computer, claiming that he helped people buy vehicles of their choice on the Internet.
Afterwards, the dealer reportedly gave him a bank account to pay the money into with a promise that the vehicles would be delivered to him a few days after the payment.
However, it was said that after paying the sum, Akinlonu reneged on his promise. He eventually issued a Diamond Bank cheque of N5m to the complainant, but the cheque was reportedly dishonored when Ezeoka tendered it at a branch of the bank.
Ezeoka tried in vain to get his money
refunded and became more worried when he discovered that the complainant had vacated his residence.
Efforts to locate his whereabouts were futile until January 19 when the SFU operatives, to whom the alleged fraud was reported, swooped on him at his present residence on Samuel Awoniyi Street, Opebi, Ikeja.
The SFU prosecutor, Inspector Adoga Amedu, brought Akinlonu before Magistrate Ambibola Akomolafe on three counts of stealing and issuance of a dud cheque.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the counts and was granted bail in the sum of N500,000 with one responsible surety. The case was adjourned till May 24, 2016.
Source: Punch Metro
0 comments:
Post a Comment