Crime
Twenty-year-old Joshua Toryila, who allegedly defrauded his job-seeking neighbour of N237,000 under the pretence of getting him recruited into the Nigerian Army, was on Thursday brought before a Tinubu Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.
The accused is facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, fraud and theft.
He, however, denied the charges.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Hafsat Ajibode, told the court that the accused committed the offences between February and April, at Royal Garden Estate, Ajah, Lagos.
She said that the accused conspired with his brother, Thomas Andrew, now at large, to defraud his job-seeking neighbour, Edet Bassey-Okon, of N237,000, on the pretext of helping him to get recruited into the Nigerian Army.
The prosecutor said that the accused told Bassey-Okon that his brother was a high-ranking officer in the Nigerian Army, and could help him to get a job there.
“Bassey-Okon was told to pay N237,000 into Andrew’s account, and was directed to go to Army Training Base in Zaria; it was when he got there that he discovered that the two had defrauded him.
“The accused absconded since then; the complainant saw him a week ago and got him arrested,” she said.
The offences contravened Sections 287 (5), 314 (1) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 287 carries three years imprisonment; Section 314 stipulates 15 years imprisonment; while Section 411 prescribes two years imprisonment for offenders.
Chief Magistrate Tajudeen Elias granted the accused a N200,000 bail, with one surety in like sum.
He adjourned the case until Sept.14, for further hearing. (NAN)
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