A Federal High Court in Lagos has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of a lawyer and others charged with obtaining money by false pretences.
The defendants, Ayo Adelaja, Quattro Architects Ltd and Ejeta Etuoniyo are being prosecuted by the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
Justice Yellin Bogoro issued the order, following an application by the prosecutor ACP M.S Usman.
The defendants were alleged to have conspired to obtain the sum of N115 million from one Barbara Komolafe and Olukemi Fetoga, under the pretence that same represents amount for a four bedroom luxury terrace located at Alma Beach estate in Ikate, Lagos.
When the case was called, the prosecutor informed the court that efforts to secure attendance of the defendants in court had proved abortive.
He told the court that the third defendant is a lawyer, adding that the prosecution had made moves to get them for arraignment but it failed.
He, consequently, applied orally that a bench warrant be issued for arrest of the defendants.
The court granted the application and adjourned the case until July 9, for arraignment of the defendants.
In the charge, the prosecution alleged that the defendants committed the offence between April 2021 and July 2022 in Lagos.
They were alleged to have obtained the sum through a Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) account number 0175248383 belonging to Quatro Architects Ltd.
They were alleged to have obtained the sums of money from both complainants, under the pretex of renting same luxury apartment to them.
The prosecution alleged that the defendants had intent to defraud the complainants by concealing from them, encumbrances and facts material to the property.
According to him, they obtained the sum of N55 million from Komolafe and the sum of N60 million from Fetoga with the intent of renting same luxury apartment to them.
The offence contravenes the provisions of sections 1(1)(a), 1(3) and 8 of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offence Act, 2006
It also contravenes the provisions of sections 423 of the Criminal Code Law of the Federation, 2004.
