An Ikeja, Lagos State Special Offences Court on Wednesday ordered that a prophetess, Linda Mabi-Praise, accused of swindling a company to the tune of N1 billion, be remanded in Kirikiri Female Prisons pending when she perfects her bail conditions.
Justice Sherifat Solebo, gave the order after Mabi-Praise pleaded not guilty to an eight-count charge of stealing, obtaining money by false pretence and issuing dud cheques.
Solebo had earlier admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N25 million with two sureties in like sum.
She ordered that the sureties must be resident in Lagos, provide proof of residency and proof of payment of tax.
NAN reports that Mabi-Praise of Temple of Praise Church located off Adeniran Ogunsanya Street, Surulere, Lagos has at least three fraud related cases before Justices Solebo and Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Ikeja Special Offences Courts.
According to Frank Ofoma, the prosecutor for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mabi-Praise and her company, Mutano Energy Limited,, committed the offences in 2017 in Lagos.
She was alleged to have received N503.3 million in five tranches from the complainant, Tophara Ventures Nigeria Limited, and subsequently issued three did cheques to the company.
Ofoma added: “On April 4, 2017, the defendants fraudulently obtained the sum of N80 million from Tophara Ventures Nigeria Limited by falsely representing to the company that the money was for costs of diesel importation.
“On April 24, 201,7 the defendants falsely obtained N238.2 million from the complainant by claiming that the funds were for the purpose of diesel trade and supply.
“On April 24, 2017, the defendants dishonestly stole and converted N137.1 million from the complainant and sometime in 2017, she also stole N48 million from Tophara Ventures Nigeria Limited.”
The prosecution said the prophetess with an intent to defraud had on May 3, 2017 issued three dud cheques to Tophara Ventures.
The first cheque was dated October 30, 2015, with the second dated May 3, 2017.
Both cheques were for N5 million each.
Ofoma said: “On May 3, 2017, she also issued a third cheque for N10 million, which had the number 77148217 and was dated May 3, 2017.
“All three cheques were dishonoured on presentation for payment on the grounds were standing in credit in Mabi-Praise’s bank account.”
According to the EFCC, the offence contravened the provisions of sections 1(1) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act of 2006, Sections 258(1), 9(b) and 278(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos 2015.
The offence also contravened the provisions of Section 1(1) of the Dishonoured Cheques and Other Related Offences Act 2004.
Justice Solebo adjourned the case until March 25 for trial.
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