Businessman Remanded Over Alleged Theft Of $65,000

Justice must take its course

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Paul Iyoghojie

A businessman, Moshood Babatunde, 53, has been arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate Court for allegedly obtaining the sum of $65,000, equivalent to N11,870,000 from a customer under false pretence.

The accused was arrested on the order of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG in charge of Zone 2 Command, Lagos, Adamu Ibrahim following a complaint by Phillip Fatuyi.

Babatunde was arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate Court on a three-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretence and stealing.

Police Counsel, S.Molo informed the Court in charge No B/6/2018 that the accused committed the offence on 31 December, 2017 at the FCMB Bank, Idimu Branch, Lagos.

Molo told the court that the accused collected the sum of $65,000 from the complainant with the pretext to help him change the dollars to Naira equivalent for him, but that the accused instead converted the money to his use.

He said that the complainant reported the matter to the Police when all efforts to recover the dollars or Naira equivalent from the accused proved futile.

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Molo added that the offences the accused committed were punishable under sections 411, 314 and 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

The accused however pleaded not guilty to the alleged crime in the open court and his Counsel O. Ajanaku prayed the court to admit the defendant on bail in the most liberal terms with a promise that he would not jump bail.

But Molo urged the court to remand the accused at the Zone 2 Command to assist the Police in the investigation and arrest of other suspects involved in the matter.

But Ajanaku told the Court that the proper place to remand a defendant after arraignment was prison custody and not Police Station.

Chief Magistrate Folashade Botoku, after listening to both parties granted the defendant bail in the sum of N1m with two sureties in like sum, one of whom must be level 15 in the Civil Service.

Botoku adjourned the case till 9 February, 2018 for mention and ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Zone 2 Command for 48 hours to assist the police in their investigation and also to enable him fulfill his bail conditions.

She, however, directed the police to produce the defendant in court on Monday if he was unable to perfect his bail for the court to remand him in prison custody till he fulfilled the bail conditions.

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