Police arraign 6 for allegedly defrauding accommodation seekers N 16.62m

The Lagos State Police on Wednesday arraigned six estate agents who allegedly duped accommodation seekers of N16.62 million.

The defendants are Lukman Katibi, Rotimi Ige, Samuel Adeniyi, Olusegun Abayomi, Thomas Ajayi and Hamzat Saheed.

The defendants who appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court are charged with obtaining N16.62 million under false pretences and stealing.

They pleaded not guilty to their charges.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Innocent Odugbo, told the court that the defendants, on different dates in April, May and June, conspired with others at large to fraudulently obtain the sum from their victims.

He added that the defendants conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by stealing from their victims under false pretences.

Odugbo also said that the defendants pretended to have remitted the sum to an estate developer, Mr Lukman Adewole.

According to him, the defendants neither refunded the victims their money nor gave them any accommodation.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 411, 168 (d), 314, 287 and 280 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The Magistrate, Mrs M. F. Onamusi, admitted each of the defendants to bail in the sum of one million Naira with two sureties who must be gainfully employed and provide evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

She adjourned the case till the 6th of December, 2023 for mention.