Businessman Sent To Prison For Issuing 14 Dud Cheques To Customer

Paul Iyoghojie

A businessman who claimed to be a photography Laboratory Operator in Gbagada area of Lagos, Innocent Ofonime, 35, has been arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate Court for allegedly issuing 14 Fidelity Bank dud cheques valued at N1 million each to the management of Digital Minilab World Limited with the pretext of paying back the debt he is allegedly owing.

Police alleged that when the management of Digital Minilab World Limited presented the 14 cheqques at the bank for payment, all the cheques were rejected on the ground that there was no funds in the said account.

Ofonime arrest, according to a Police source, was ordered by the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG in charge of Zone 2 Command, Onikan, Lagos, Adamu Ibrahim following a petition by the management of Digital Minilab World Limited.

Ofonime was arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate Court, Lagos on a 14-count charge of felony to wit, issuance of 14 Fidelity Bank dud cheques.

Police Counsel, Fransis Igbinosa informed the Court in charge No G/74/2017 that the accused committed the alleged offence between 31 July and 28 November, 2014 in Gbagada area of Lagos.

Igbinosa told the court that the management ofDigital Minilab World Limited leased a photography machine to the accused with an agreement to be paying the sum of N1 million at specific time.

Igbinosa said that after the accused paid N1 million once to the complainant, he stopped paying  for the machine and the debt accumulated to N14 million.

He said the accused issued 14 Fidelity Bank cheque valued at N1 million each to the complainant at various time with the pretext of paying back the debt, but that when the management of Digital Minilab World Limited presented all the cheques at the bank for payment, they was dishonoured due to lack of funds in the said accounts.

Igbinosa said that when all efforts by the complainant to recover the money from the accused proved futile, they reported the matter to the police, leading to the arrest of the accused.

Igbinosa said that the offences the accused committed were contrary to and punishable under sections (1)(b)(1) of the dishonoured cheque act, Cap 102 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria,2004.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the alleged crime and Magistrate W.B Balogun admitted him to bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties in like sum.

Balogun adjourned the case till 10 January, 2018 for mention and ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Ikoyi Prison, Lagos pending his fulfillment of the bail conditions.