By Adebisi onanuga
An hotelier Samson Ogunfadebo was on Tuesday arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos for allegedly defrauding a businessman, one Mr. Lalu Acher, of N30million.
Ogunfadebo was alleged to have obtained the money from the businessman under disguise of leasing his hotel to him.
Ogunfadebo 50 is facing a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining, stealing, breach of peace and fraud preferred against him by the Police before Magistrate B. I. Bakare.
Prosecuting Sgt. Cyriacus Osuji, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offences between January 1 to December 2018 at 14, Ayinde Afolabi Street, College Bus Stop, Igando area of Lagos.
Osuji said that the defendant and others still at large, under false pretense, fraudulently obtained N30million, from Acher, to lease his hotel, located at Ayinde Afolabi Street, Off Lasu Road, Igando, which he has already mortgaged with First City Monument Bank, FCMB and Eco Bank.
“The defendant after mortgaging the property to the two banks, he then leased it to the complainant, and relocated to Ibadan, where he started farming,
“The complainant then renovated the hotel, so that it can be put to use.
“After the refurbishment was done, the banks came to meet the complainant that the property in question was mortgaged to them and that the case was in court”.
The prosecutor said “Ogunfadebo stole the cash, a sum of N30million, belonging to the complainant Lalu Acher”.
“The defendant conducted himself in a manner likely to cause breach of peace,” Osuji said.
The defendant pleaded not guilty.
His counsel, Richard Oguntade, urged the court to grant the defendant bail.
He said: “The offence is a bail able offence and we are seeking the intelligence of the court to be liberal in granting bail. I want the court to take into consideration that the defendant is still prescribed innocent until proven guilty.
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“We also intend to exploit settlement in this matter. I have known the complainant, for 45 years, we were classmates,” Oguntade said.
The prosecutor objected to the bail application of the defence counsel saying that the defendant is a flight risk and might run away if granted bail.
Osuji stated further that FCMB has taken over the property in question and that there is every likelihood that the defendant if granted bail, will escape.
A lawyer holding watching brief, for the complainant Mr David Fadile, also said that a judgment was delivered on July 11, 2019, on the said property by Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja high court confirming FCMB, as the owner.
Fadile said “In corroboration of what the prosecutor said, the defendant has no permanent place of stay”.
The defence counselor also confirmed that he is aware of the judgment, confirming FCMB, as the owner of the property.
Magistrate Bakare however granted the defendant bail in the sum of N3million, with two sureties in like sum.
He said that one of the sureties must be a land owner, who must present a copy of the title document before the court.
Bakare also ordered that the sureties must deposit their international passport or any other identification and have their addresses verified.
The case was adjourned till January 22, 2020.
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