Man in court for N2.9m fraud

A 44-year-old consultant, Olukunle Coker, was yesterday brought before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos state for allegedly defrauding a woman of N2.9 million.
Coker, who resides at No.
9/5, Diary Farm Estate, Ogba/ Agege Road, Lagos, is being tried for obtaining money under false pretences and stealing.
The Prosecutor, Inspector Victor Eruada, said the accused committed the offences in May 2014, at the Ogba branch of Union Bank PLC in Lagos State.
He said that the accused obtained N2.9 million from the complainant, Mrs.
Esther Onifade, through an ATM money transfer.
“Coker collected N2.9 million from the complainant with the pretext of using it to secure a building contract in Abuja and promised that he would pay back as soon as he had secured the contract,” the prosecutor said.
Eruada said that the accused intentionally swindled the complainant and failed to refund the money.
“The accused had been on the run until he was sighted by Onifade who reported the case to the police that arrested him,” he said.
The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 287 and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Section 314 prescribes 15 years’ jail term for obtaining money under false pretences.
The accused pleaded not guilty of the offences and was granted bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in like sum.