A 52-year-old man, Ige Aruya, will spend six years in prison for posing as a landlord to defraud a Nollywood actress of N820,200.
Chief Magistrate Kikelomo Ayeye sitting in Tinubu, Lagos Island, convicted Aruya on a two-count charge of conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretences. She sentenced him to six months in prison with hard labour.
Ayeye said the evidence before the court showed without doubt that Aruya was guilty.
“The Jeep found in the convict’s possession should be sold at the rate of N820,200 and the money should be given to the complainant,” she held.
Prosecuting Inspector Nurudeen Thomas had told the court that the convict and two others at large, committed the offence on January 22, last years, at Lekki.
He said the trio collected N820,200 from Tamara Eteimo, an actress, with a promise of leasing a self-contained apartment to her.
The prosecutor said: “The accused and his accomplices are in the business of defrauding innocent accommodation seekers in Lekki, Ajah and Surulere. Aruya posed as the landlord, while his accomplices pretended to be agents. They take people to unoccupied apartments claiming that it is for rent to defraud them. The accused is facing a similar charge at a Surulere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.”
Thomas said the offence contravened Sections 316 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.