A 40-year-old traveling agent, Abayomi Francis, was on Friday arraigned before Magistrate A.K. Dosunmu of an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly duping one woman of N550,000.
Francis was alleged to have issued a fake document to one Mrs Morufat Rafiu after obtaining N550,000 from her under the pretext that he would procure a Canadian visa for her.
Francis, a resident of Alagbado, a Lagos suburb, is being tried for obtaining money under false pretences and stealing.
The prosecutor, Insp. Josephine Ikhayere, told the court that the accused committed the offences on June 29, 2018, at Alagbado.
She alleged that the accused obtained the money from the complainant, Mrs Morufat Rafiu, under the pretext of helping her to get a Canadian visa.
“Few days after the accused collected the money, he gave the complainant the document which was discovered to be fake when she presented it for travelling process.
“Efforts made by the complainant to collect the genuine document or get a refund of her money proved unsuccessful as the accused refused to pick her calls.
“The case was reported and the accused was arrested,” the prosecutor said.
She said the offences contravened Sections 287 and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 287 prescribes three years jail term for stealing.
Also, Section 314 attracts 15 years for obtaining money under false pretences for offenders if found guilty.
The magistrate, Mrs A.K. Dosunmu, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
Dosunmu ruled that the sureties should be gainfully employed and must show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
The magistrate adjourned the case until Feb. 6. (NAN)