Oil Firm M.D arraigned over alleged N35m fraud

Paul Iyoghojie

The Managing Director of Yaklabbs Petroleum Nigeria Ltd, Christy Silas Tafida, 53 has been arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate Court for allegedly obtaining the sum of N35 million from the Management of Virtue One Global Investment Ltd under false pretence.

A police source alleged that the Commissioner of Police, CP in charge of the Police Special Fraud Unit PSFU, at Ikoyi, Lagos Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde directed his team led by Inspector Kayode Adeleke to arrest the accused following a petition by the management of Virtue – One Global Investment Ltd that the accused used her firm to borrow N35 million from them with an agreement to pay back within a reasonable time but that instead she failed to pay back as agreed.

The accused was charged before an Igbosere Magistrate Court, Lagos on a three-count charge of obtaining money under false pretence and issuance of three dud cheques.

Police counsel, Supol Chukwu Agwu informed the court in charge No B/73/2018 that the accused committed the offence between August 2015 and 2017 at Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Agwu told the court that the accused used her firm to borrow the sum of N35 million from the Management of Virtue –One Global Investment Ltd represented by Peters Udeagu with the promise to pay back at an agreed time.

He said that the accused with the pretext of paying back the money issued three cheques with Nos: 00000296, 00000297 and 00000298 to the complainant but that when the cheques were presented at the bank for payment, it was rejected due to lack of funds in the accused accounts.

Agwu said the offences committed were punishable under Sections 411, 314(a) and (b) of the criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the alleged offence in the open court and Chief Magistrate Folashade Botoku granted her bail in the sum of N2 million with two sureties in like sum, one of whom must deposit his International Passport with the court.

Botoku adjourned the case till 27 September, 2018 for mention and ordered that the defendant be kept at the Kirikiri prison, Apapa, Lagos till she perfected the bail conditions.