LAGOS – A 35-year-old mechanic, Pascal Olowolagba, was on Thursday brought before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for defrauding a driver of N50,000.
Olowolagba, whose address is unknown, is facing a two-count charge of obtaining by false pretences and stealing.
However, the mechanic pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Clifford Ogu, told the court that Olowolagba committed the offences at 10.00 a.m. on April 4 at the Jakande Roundabout, Lekki, Lagos.
He said the accused fraudulently obtained N50,000 from one Mr Martins Omokoba, under the pretext of helping him to secure the release of his bus seized by law enforcement agents.
According to the prosecution, the complainant’s bus was impounded by officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), for violating traffic offences.
The prosecutor said that after collecting the money, Olowolagba never secured the release of the bus, as promised.
He added that all the efforts of the complainant to contact the accused for a refund of his money yielded no result.
Ogu said that the offences contravened Sections 285 and 312 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
Section 312 prescribes 15 years imprisonment for anyone convicted of the offence of obtaining under false pretences.
The Magistrate, Mrs E. Kubeinje, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100,000 with a surety in like sum and adjourned the case till May 7, for mention. (NAN)
