6th September, 2023
By Paul Iyoghojie
The police in Lagos Southwest, Nigeria have arrested a 35-year-old businessman, Olayemi Samuel Dada and charged him before a Lagos Magistrates’ court for allegedly presenting himself as an official of First Bank of Nigeria Plc to obtain the sum of N37,300,000 from four traders by false pretence.
Police alleged that the defendant collected the money from the complainants with the promise to help them purchase a First Bank of Nigeria Insurance Policy for traders; a claim the police said the defendant knew to be false.
Police further alleged that after the defendant collected the money from the Complainants, he failed to fulfil the pledge and instead converted the money to his use and fled.
Police alleged that the defendant was tracked and arrested following a report by the complainants.
The defendant was charged before the Tinubu Magistrates’ Court on a 12-count charge bordering on impersonation, obtaining by false pretence and stealing.
Police prosecuting counsel, Ishola Samuel told the court in the charge marked M/15/2023 and M/17/2023 that the defendant committed the offence in 2020 and 2023 in Lagos.
Samuel informed the court that the defendant impersonated himself as a staff of First Bank of Nigeria to the complainants knowing full well that his claim was false and collected the sum of N27million from Ramota Akande Awele; N4.3m from Aroyewun Taofeek; N3,150,000 from Folayan Esther and N2,900,000 from Odushina Ruth with the promise to purchase First Bank of Nigeria Insurance policy for traders for them, but failed to fulfil the pledge and also failed to refund the money to the complainants till date.
Samuel said the defendant fled after collecting the money from the complainants without purchasing anything for them.
He said the offences, the defendant committed were punishable under Section 511, 486, 314 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges in the open court and the Magistrate Mrs. Gbajumo Ayoku granted him bail and adjourned the case till 15 October 2023 for mention.