Businesswoman faces N700,000 fraud charge

anwar danjaji

March 14, 2017 3:38 PM

Taibat Baiye, who resides in Agege, Lagos, pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge of stealing and obtaining money under false pretences.

Two MMM agents in court for breach of trust.

A 49-year-old businesswoman, who allegedly obtained N700,000 from a trader, Nurudeen Imman, on the pretext of supplying clothes to him, was on Tuesday charged before an Ikeja Magistrates‘ Court.

Taibat Baiye, who resides in Agege, Lagos, pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge of stealing and obtaining money under false pretences.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Mathew Akhaluode, told the court that the accused committed the offences on July 29, 2016 at her residence.

Akhaluode said that the accused fraudulently obtained the sum of N700,000 from Imman, with a promise to supply clothes to him, a representation she knew was false.

He alleged that the accused, who had no intention of supplying clothes to Imman, converted the money to her own personal use.

The prosecutor said that when the complainant did not get any feedback from the accused, he decided to ask for a refund.

Baiye, who had invested the complainant’s money into her own business, started giving excuses to Imman, whenever he asked for a refund.

"When the complainant got tired of Baiye’s excuses, he reported the case to the police and the accused was arrested and taken to the police station,” Akhaluode said.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 285 and 312 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 285 prescribes three years imprisonment for stealing, while Section 312 stipulates 15-year jail term for obtaining by false pretences, if convicted.

The Magistrate, Mrs Y.R Pinheiro, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

Pinheiro also directed that the sureties must be gainfully employed and should show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

She adjourned the case till March 20, for mention.

anwar danjaji