By Adaeze Iroha
Lagos – The police on Wednesday arraigned a 34-year old mechanic, Sunny Ejuwa, in a Yaba Chief Magistrates’court for allegedly defrauding a clergyman of N150,000.
Ejuwa, a resident of Apapa area of Lagos, is charged with four counts of obtaining by false pretext, stealing and willful damage of property.
The Prosecution Counsel, Sgt. Modupe Olaluwoye, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on Jan. 7, at No. 2, ECWA str., Shomolu, Lagos.
She alleged that the defendant had collected N150,000 from one pastor Vitalis Onah, to repair the engine of his Mercedes Benz ML, with registration No. AGL 433 FN.
Olaluwoye told the court that the defendant instead, damaged the car engine and stole the gear-valve and car battery.
She told the court that the defendant damaged, parked the car in his workshop and ran away.
Olaluwoye said the offence contravened the provisions of Sections 280(1), 312 and 350 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 312 stipulates 15 years imprisonment for the offence of obtaining money under false pretext while that of stealing prescribes a three-year jail term for offenders, if convicted.
Chief Magistrate, Mrs Oluwatoyin Oghere, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum.
Oghere ordered that the sureties should be gainfully employed and must show evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
She adjourned the case until June 5 for mention.
