Adamu Aminu was yesterday arraigned before an Ebute-Metta Magistrate Court for fraudulently collecting N1million from an unsuspecting victim for a bogus orphanage falsely claimed to be owned by Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Oluranti Adebule.
Aminu, 45, who was arraigned by the Lagos State Government on a four-count charge before Chief Magistrate Oluyemisi Adelaja, was said to have perpetrated the crime sometime in August in Agege area of the state.
In count one, Aminu allegedly conspired with others now at large to commit a felony to wit obtaining money by false pretence, an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law Cap C17, Vol 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
In count two, the defendant and others at large “Sometime in August 2017, at 1015 hours at Agege, Lagos State in the Ikeja Magisterial District, did fraudulently obtain the sum of One Million Naira only from one Bright Obed (M) on the pretence of soliciting for funds for a bogus orphanage which you falsely held out to be set up by the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Her Excellency, Dr Idiat Oluranti Adebule and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 311 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law Cap C17, Vol 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.”
After the charges were read to the defendant, he pleaded not guilty while his lawyer, Mrs Uzuomaka Nwafor applied for bail on liberal terms.
The prosecutor, Mr Rafiu Aroyehun, an Assistant Director with the State’s Ministry of Justice, urged the Court to refuse the application on the ground that the offence which the defendant allegedly committed was a serious crime.
In her ruling, Magistrate Adelaje, granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N300,000 and two sureties in like sum and adjourned to October 16, 2017.