27th July, 2017
The absence of the magistrate on Thursday stalled the trial of a cyber cafe operator, Emeka Anuguo, charged with impersonating a JAMB official and defrauding some candidates, who wrote the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Exams.
Anuguo was first arraigned on May 5 at an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, on a two-count charge of fraud and impersonation.
He pleaded not guilty and was granted N100, 000 bail.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that on the last adjournment on June 22, the hearing was also stalled following the absence of two JAMB officials — Sunday Aladegbaye and Badaru Jubril — who reported the case.
The Magistrate, Mrs O. G. Oghre, then adjourned the case until July 27 for hearing.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Thursday, both parties were in court, but the magistrate had proceeded on vacation.
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Consequently, the court’s registrar gave Oct. 17 for the next sitting after the magistrate would have resumed.
Earlier, the Police Prosecutor, Insp. Okete Ejime, told the court that the accused committed the offences between May 1 and
May 30 at No. 7, Ojora Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
He said the accused deceived and cheated 70 JAMB candidates by collecting the sum of N3, 000 each from them.
The accused said the money was meant for change of age, courses, institutions and to also generate Remittal Code for
them.
He said the accused obtained the money without the consent of JAMB officials and also impersonated a JAMB official.
The offences contravened Sections 323 and 376 (2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accused may be sentenced to a minimum of seven years imprisonment
on conviction according to the Criminal Law.