A man, Akeem Afolabi, has been remanded in prison custody by an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly defrauding a trader of N500,000.
The 25-year-old man was arraigned on three counts of obtaining under false pretences, stealing and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.
The police prosecutor, Michael Unah, alleged that the suspect, who was a customer of the trader, pretended to be a member of the Power Ministry, a church located in the Alagbado area of Lagos.
Unah told the court that Afolabi collected the money from the victim in instalments, claiming to be sent by the pastor of the church, who wanted to use the money to help the trader solve his spiritual problems through offering of prayers.
He said the offences contravened sections 314, 280 (F) and 57 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The charges read, “That you, Akeem Afolabi, on December 3, 2018, at Ijaiye bus stop, Ijaiye, Ojokoro, in the Ikeja Magisterial District, tricked one Rofiat Taofeek and collected the sum of N500,000 from her.
“That you, Akeem Afolabi, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, did steal the sum of N500,000.
“That you, Akeem Afolabi, on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned magisterial district, did conduct yourself in a manner likely to cause the breach of peace by going to the shop of one Rofiat Taofeek on several occasions, deceived her and had been collecting money from her.”
The defendant pleaded guilty to the charges.
The presiding magistrate, Mr A. A. Fashola, ordered the accused to be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the case till February 20, 2019.
