13th August, 2022
By Paul Iyoghojie
The Police at the Bar Beach Division of the Lagos State Police Command, Victoria Island, Lagos have arrested a businessman, Zaki Soso, 31, and charged him before a Lagos Magistrate’s Court.
He was charged before the court for allegedly conniving with others still at large to obtain the sum of $12,000 equivalent to N7,200,000 from a complainant, Mr Akosa Abiakam under false pretence.
Police alleged that the defendant and others obtained the money from the complainant at 8, Water Corporation Drive, Victoria Island, Lagos with the pretext of investing the money in a mouth-watering interest yielding business for him, a claim, the Police said the defendant and others knew to be false.
Police further alleged that after the defendant collected the money from the complainant, he failed to fulfill the promise, and instead escaped.
Police alleged that following the development, the complainant reported the matter to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in charge Bar Beach Division, Victoria Island, Lagos who directed his crack team to fish out the defendant.
The Police team tracked the defendant to hideout and arrested him.
The defendant was charged before the Igbosere Magistrate’s Court sitting at the Ebutte Meta Magistrate’s Court, Lagos on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing.
Police Prosecuting Counsel, Steven Molo told the Court in the charge marked H/09/2022 that the defendant and other still at large committed the offence on 27, June, 2022 at Water Corporation Drive Victoria Island Lagos.
Molo informed the Court that the defendant and others tricked the complainant and collected the sum of $12,000 equivalent to N7,200,000 from him to help him invest it in a high interest-yielding business and ended up duping him and escaped before he was arrested with the help of tracking.
Molo said the offences, the defendant committed were punishable under sessions 411 and 287(7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and his Counsel, Barr. Anayo Agbo prayed the Court to grant the defendant bail in the most liberal terms with the promise that the defendant would not jump bail if granted.
The presiding Magistrate, granted him N500,000 bail with two sureties in like sum who must show proof of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
The Magistrate adjourned the case till 17 August, 2022 for mention and ordered that the defendant be detained at the Ikoyi Correctional Facility till he perfected the bail conditions.