BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
A 46-year-old man, Olaniyan Okunade Festus, has been remanded in Ilesa Correctional Centre for allegedly defrauding two persons to the tune of N2,650,000,00.
The Nigeria Police in Osun State arrested Festus and dragged him before a Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Osogbo for alleged fraud and theft.
Prosecuting officer, Taiwo Adegoke, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, informed the court that Festus committed the offences in January, 2022 at Capital Area of Osogbo.
Adegoke said the accused person defrauded one Oyebamiji Saheed by collecting the sum of N2,300,000,00 from him under the false pretence of selling a car to him, adding that the defendant also defrauded a woman, Olanrewaju Waleade, of the sum of N350,000,00 after promising to procure a South Africa Visa for her son but failed.
The charge reads, “That you Olaniyan Okunade Festus, sometimes in January, 2022, at Capital Area, Osogbo, in the Osogbo Magisterial District, did fraudulently collect the sum of Two Million Three Hundred Thousand Naira (2,300,000,00) from one Oyebamiji Saheed under the false pretence of selling a car for him and knowing same to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 419 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“That you did steal the sum of Two Million Three Hundred Thousand Naira (2,300,000,00), property of one Oyebamiji Saheed and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 383 and punishable under Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“On the same date, place and time, you did fraudulently collect the sum of Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (350,000,00) from one Olanrewaju Waleade under the false pretence of helping her son procure a Visa to South Africa and knowing same to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 419 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“That you Olaniyan Okunade Festus, at the same time and date, did steal the sum of Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (350,000,00), property of one Olanrewaju Waleade and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 383 and punishable under Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.”
However, Festus pleaded not guilty to the charges. He did not have any legal representation.
Chief Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara asked him to approach the court with a formal bail application and ordered that he be remanded in prison.
