FOR allegedly defrauding one Ikechukwu Onuaha of N1.1m, a supposed travel agent, Amarachi Ogbuchi, has been arraigned before the Ogba Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

The 37-year-old Ogbuchi allegedly duped the complainant on the pretext of helping him to procure a Qatari visa.

Ogbuchi was arraigned on three counts of fraud, forgery and stealing, to which she pleaded not guilty.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Benson Emuerhi, told the court that the defendant, sometime in January 2017 on Alaje Avenue, Graceland Estate, in the Egbeda area of Lagos State, collected N1.1m from the complainant with a promise to procure a Qatari visa for him, which she never did.

“The defendant collected the money and failed to procure the visa as promised; she forged documents to secure a Qatari visa for the complainant and converted the money to her personal use and absconded to an unknown destination,” Emuerhi stated.

The prosecutor added that when the complainant asked for his money, the defendant threatened his life and blocked his phone number.

Emuerhi said the offences contravened sections 287, 314 and 360 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (revised).

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Olufunke Sule-Amzat, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Sule-Amzat said the sureties must be gainfully employed, adding that they must show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government. She adjourned the case till May 2, 2019, for mention. – Punch

– Mar. 12, 2019 @ 7:35 GMT |