A 41-year old Noma Mohammed and 32-year old Kabiru Mohammed who allegedly defrauded an owner of a Bureau de Change of 50,000 dollars were on Monday, September 29, 2014 brought before a Lagos Magistrates’ Court sitting at Igbaosere.
A three-count charge was brought against each of them ranging from conspiracy, obtaining by false pretences to stealing preferred against them by the police.
While speaking in the court, the prosecutor, Inspector Stephen Molo, stated that the defendant committed the offences at 12, Sanni Adewale Street, in Lagos Island on August 14, 2014.
According to him, the two businessmen pretended to be representatives of a man who runs the same Bureau de Change business known as Alhaji Saminu Mohammed
However, the complainant fell prey to these men by thinking they were real and gave them a whooping sum of 50,000 Dollars which he wanted to be converted to the equivalent Nigerian currency.
Further speaking, the prosecutor added that the disguised criminals simply fled with the dollars after receiving them from unsuspecting victim.
According to a report by Vanguard, Molo said the complainant reported the case to the police who traced and arrested the two suspects in Lagos and Kano respectively.
According to the prosecutor, the offences committed is punishable under Sections 278(B), 312(1)(a) and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.
Section 312 prescribes 15 years imprisonment for anyone convicted of the offence of obtaining under false pretence. However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges brought up against them.
The Magistrate of the court, J. A. Adegun agreed that the defendants be bailed with the sum of N250, 000 each, with two responsible sureties each in like sum. The case was further adjourned for mention on October 15, 2014.
