Judiciary
A 60-year old man, Peter Omotoso on Monday appeared before an Akure Magistrates’ Court for allegedly defrauding a Company in Oba Ile, Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State of N400,000.
The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Simeon Wada, said the defendant through false pretense promised to blast stone for the engineering company (Elementary Engineering Consult Nig. Ltd), but failed to abide by his promise.
Wada added that the defendant had paraded himself as a professional that could blast stone but it was found that he had no valid documents to carry out the job.
According to him, the defendant is also causing a breach of public peace in the community.
The prosecutor said Omotoso sometimes in the month of March, at about 10.00am at Elementary Engineering Consult Nigeria Limited Oba-lle did fraudulently receive transfer of N400,000 with pretense to blast stone and failed to do so.
He said the committed offence was contrary to Section 418 and punishable under Section 419 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. 1, laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.
“That you, Omotoso Peter, on the same date, time and place in the
aforementioned Magisterial District, did conduct yourself in a manner likely to cause the breach of peace,’’ Wada said.
He alleged that the defendant lied to the company that he was a licensed stone blaster, which he is not, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 249 (D) of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol.1, laws of Ondo State.
Wada also told the court that the defendant lied to the company that he had obtained permission from the Ministry of Mines, Power and Steel, Alagbaka, Akure and which he failed to do so.
According to him, the offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 249 (D) of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol.1, Laws of Ondo State
Omotoso, who pleaded not guilty to the alleged offence, said that he has necessary documents to carry out his professional work.
In his defense, Mr Olu Iwa, the Defendant’s Counsel, asked the court to grant the defendant bail in liberal terms.
Iwa said that if granted, the defendant would not jump the bail but would be available throughout the trial.
He said that the defendant had competent sureties to stand for him.
In his ruling, Mr Damilola Sekoni, the court’s Magistrate, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties that have good means of identification.
He adjourned the case to
until March 24 for hearing. (NAN)
E.C
Tags: Fraud police
