A female lawyer, Abimbola Adeyinwolu and her business associate, Adeola Ikumola were Thursday arraigned before a Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing N4.6 million from another lawyer, Jennifer Obaseki.
Adeyinwolu, 30, and Ikumola,40, resident at No.302, Gowon Estate, Ipaja and No.37 Macdee Street, Baruwa, Ipaja, respectively, were alleged to have obtained N4.6m from their friend, Obaseki, under the pretense of helping her set up a law firm.
They are facing a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing, forgery and obtaining money under false pretense before Chief Magistrate, Mr. A.A. Fashola.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Prosecuting Sergeant (Sgt). Michael Unah told the court that the defendants and others still at large committed the offence on December 31 2018, at No.64 Ademola Adetokunbo Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
According to Sgt. Unah, the defendants allegedly collected the sum of N4.6 million from one Jennifer Obaseki, a lawyer who resides abroad, under the pretense of procuring for her an office accommodation, a representation; he said, they knew to be false.
He said the defendants forged tenancy agreement documents between Triple Aaron B Nigeria Limited and Obaseki and Co. Nigeria Limited in respect of 40 square meters of an office space, an act they both knew to be untrue.
Unah alleged that the defendants stole the N4.6 million from the complainant by fraudulently dealing with a false written documents.
“The complainant, who is a friend to Adeyinwolu confided in her that she wanted to start a law practice in Nigeria. The lawyer in turn, introduced Ikumola, her boyfriend, as an agent to the complainant.
“The complainant made an initial payment of N4m to the account of Ikumola for the procurement of the office while they later demanded for a sum of N600, 000 to furnish the supposed office.
“The complainant detected a foul play and informed the police after the defendants have collected the money and were nowhere to be found,” the prosecutor alleged.
The defendants however denied the charge.
Chief Magistrate Fashola granted them bail in the sum of N500,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.
Fashola ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed with an evidence of three years tax payment to the Lagos State Government and have their addresses verified by the court.
He further said that the sureties must be blood relatives of the defendants and reside within the court’s jurisdiction.
He adjourned the case until May 30.
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