A 41-year-old seafarer, Azubuike-Bature Chukwu, was, on Thursday, arraigned before an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly obtaining N5.8 million under false pretence.
The police arraigned Chukwu on two counts of obtaining by false pretence and stealing by conversion.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Prosecutor, Insp Donjour Perezi, told the court that the defendant committed the offences sometime in 2022 in Ajah, Lagos.
Perezi said that the defendant obtained the sum of N5,805,000 from the complainant, Richard Nwachukwu, under the pretence of purchasing a plot of land for him at Sangotedo, Lagos, a representation known to be false.
He said that the defendant also stole and converted the money to his personal use.
Primus Law House, on behalf of the complainant who had travelled to Europe, said they had written nine petitions concerning the case to the tactical team.
“The complainant returned from Europe with his family in 2022 and accidentally met the defendant, a childhood friend who he knows as I.K before he travelled out of the country.
“The defendant told him that he was into a real estate business and promised to assist him to get a property in Lagos.
“The said sum was sent to the defendant when he told him he had found a good property.
“The complainant was shocked when he discovered that he had been duped by the defendant, as he did not give him the documents for the property he had paid for.
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“When the defendant was asked to refund his money, he threatened to kill the complainant,” they said.
According to the prosecutor, the offences contravene the provisions of Sections 287(1)(a) and 314 (1)(a) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
The Magistrate, M.O. Tanimola, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N500,000, with two sureties in like sum.
Tanimola adjourned the case till March 6 for mention.
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