NAN – A 46-year-old man, Taofeek Olajide, was on Wednesday, December 2, 2015 charged with defrauding an accommodation seeker of N540,000 at a Surulere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State.
Olajide is facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretences and stealing.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecutor, Insp. Gabriel Ekundayo, told the court that the accused and some others, still at large, committed the offences at No. 49, Clegg St. in Surulere , Lagos State on Nov. 5.
He said the accused collected N540, 000 under the pretext that he would let-out a mini-flat to the complainant.
“Olajide pretended to be in charge of the mini-flat, collected the money from Mr Smith Bashir, the compliant, with a promise to rent a flat to him which he never did.’’
Ekundayo said that the offences contravened Sections 285 (1), 312 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs M.I. Dan-Oni, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum. She said that one of the sureties must be residing in his personal residence.
Dan-Oni also said that both sureties must provide evidence of payment of their taxes to the Lagos State Government and that the court prosecutors must verify the genuineness of the sureties’ addresses.
She adjourned the case till Monday, December 14, 2015 for mention.
