A 39-year-old legal practitioner, Odunayo Oladayo, who allegedly defrauded a widow of N500,000 was on Thursday charged before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.
The accused who resides at No.15, Odunsi St. Meiran, Lagos, is facing a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, false pretence and stealing.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Rapheal Donny, told the court that the accused collected N500,000 from one Florence Adepoju to secure a United Arab Emirates (UAE) visa for her.
“The accused who is a tenant in Adepoju’s house promised to help her get an international passport and the visa for her son.
“The money was given to him in instalments, between the months of March and July and he failed to provide both the passport and the visa,” he said.
Donny said that the accused was arrested on November 19, after Adepoju told the police that all efforts to retrieve the money from him failed.
He said that the offences contravened Sections 285, 312, 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
Section 312 prescribes a 15-year jail term as punishment for obtaining under false pretence.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.
The Magistrate, Mrs J.A Adegun, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till December 23 for mention.
