A businessman, Mr Lanre Smith, was on Tuesday, arraigned before a Federal High Court in Lagos, over an alleged $26,000 fraud against a U.S. citizen.
Smith is being prosecuted by the Force Criminal Investigation Department of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on a three-count charge of conspiracy, laundering of funds obtained through unlawful activity and fraud.
The Prosecutor, Mr Mike Enejere, told the court that the defendant committed the offence sometime in August 2016.
Enejere said that Smith conspired with others, now at large, to conduct a financial transaction from the proceeds of an unlawful activity.
He said that the defendant deceived one Lindy Drake to deposit $26,000 into a U.S. Well Fargo account with the name Wilok Ltd.
The prosecutor further alleged that the defendant’s action was with the intention to carry out an specified unlawful activity.
Enejere also said that Smith also obtained about N10.1 million on the pretext that he had deposited the $26,000 into the U.S. Well Fargo account.
He said that the offences contravened Sections 1(1)(a), 7 and 7(2)(b) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The defence counsel, Mr A. A. Apara, made an oral application for the bail of the defendant which was objected by the prosecutor.
Justice Ibrahim Kala ordered defence counsel to file a written bail application before the court.
He then adjourned the case until February 5 for hearing of the bail application and commencement of trial.
The charge was initially filed in 2019 but later struck out because the police could not produce Smith.
