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Tag: Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court

  • Travel agent charged with N1.1m Montenegro visa fraud

    A 33-year-old travel agent, Daniel Akpan, was on Wednesday brought before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State for allegedly swindling a banker of N1.1million.

    Akpan collected the money on the pretext of obtaining a Montenegro visa and flight ticket for the complainant, Mr Micheal Oguocha.

    Akpan who resides in Igando area of Lagos, is being tried on a two-count charge of conspiracy to defraud and issuance of dud cheque.

    He was said to have collected the 1.1million from the banker in one of the commercial banks in Yaba area of Lagos.

    Police Prosecutor, ASP Roman Unuigbe, told the court that the accused committed the offence sometime between March 2017 and January 2018 at Igando area of Lagos.

    Unuigbe said that the accused fraudulently obtained the N1.1 million on the pretext of obtaining a Montenegro visa and flight ticket for the complainant but went ahead to issue him fake visa and ticket.

    “When the complainant discovered that the ticket and visa were fake, he confronted the accused who promised to refund the money to him.

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    “In the course of the transaction, the accused issued five Stanbic IBTC cheques with No. 18258065, 18250861, 18258062, 18258063 and 18258065 to the complainant for the refund.

    “When the complainant got to the bank, he discovered that the cheques were all dud cheques,’’ he said.

    The offences contravene Sections 321 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the offences.

    Chief Magistrate Peter Ojo, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

    Ojo said that the sureties must be gainfully employed with an evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    He adjourned the case until Dec. 21 for trial.

    NAN

  • Two suspected cultists docked in Lagos

    Two men, Oluwafemi Adelaja and Jacob Sunday, suspected to be members of an unlawful society, were on Friday docked before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State.

    Adelaja, 26, and Sunday, 21, are facing a two-count charge bordering on affray and belonging to an unlawful society.

    They, however, pleaded not guilty.

    According to the prosecutor, SP Nurudeen Thomas, the two men committed the offences on Aug. 9, at 12.30p.m. at Kampala Hotel in Bariga, Lagos.

    Thomas said that the accused were members of an unlawful society known as `Aiye’.

    “My Lord, they have been terrorising their neighborhood for years.

    “After much investigation, the police were able to get information of a gathering of members of their secret society, where they were arrested among many others,” he said.

    The offences contravene Sections 41 and 54 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 41 prescribes a three-year jail term for belonging to an unlawful society, while Section 54 provides for six months’ imprisonment for affray.

    The Magistrate, Mrs K.B. Ayeye, granted each of the accused bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

    She said that one of the sureties must be a relation of the accused and gainfully employed.

    Ayeye also ruled that the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and should show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    The case was adjourned until Sept. 27 for mention.

  • Court remands four men for allegedly killing colleague, removing heart

    A Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Monday ordered four men to be remanded in Ikoyi Prisons for allegedly killing their colleague and removing his heart for ritual.

    They are Daniel Luka, 24, Audu Isaiah, 24, Wavi David, 20 and Ayuba Musa, 24. They are standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder.

    The Prosecutor, Sgt. Modupe Olaluwoye, told the court that the men committed the offences on May 22 at Alasia along Oke-Ira road in Ajah, near Lagos.

    Olaluwoye alleged that the accused had been patronizing a ritualist, who had asked them for a human heart in exchange for wealth.

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    She said that the accused had lured their 21-year-old brother, James Isaiah, into the bush, where they killed him with a knife and cut off his heart.

    “The police were able to trace them to their house where they had admitted killing their brother for ritual purposes.

    “The ritualist is however, still at large,” she said.

    The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 223, 233 and 165 (a) (b) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    Magistrate Oluwatoyin Oghere, ordered that the case file should be sent to the Lagos State director of public prosecutions for advice.

    She adjourned the case until Aug. 15.

    NAN

  • Three docked over alleged snatching of election materials

    Three men, who allegedly snatched election materials during Saturday’s All Progressives Congress (APC) Ward Congress in Badagry, Lagos, on Monday appeared before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in the state.

    The accused are Oke Sunday, 37; Epi Ajose, 45; and Raufu Tijani, 23.

    The accused, who have no fixed addresses, are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and breach of the peace.

    They, however, pleaded not guilty.

    The prosecutor, ASP Roman Unuigbe, told the court that the accused and others still at large committed the offences at 11.30a.m. at Local Authority Primary School, Badagry.

    The prosecutor said that the accused disrupted the election by snatching materials for its conduct.

    Unuigbe said that Messrs Gusanu Paul and Abdullahi Bashiru reported the case at a police station.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mr P.A. Ojo, granted each of the accused persons bail in the sum of N250,000 with two sureties each in like sum.

    Ojo ordered that the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and be gainfully employed.

    He also directed that the sureties should show evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    The case was adjourned until June 6 for hearing.

  • Clearing agent charged with N2.5m fraud

    A 40-year-old clearing agent, Ejike Onyinye, who allegedly defrauded a man of N2.5 million on the  pretext of investing the money in hides and skin business, was on Wednesday brought before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court.

    Ejike, a resident of Ejigbo, Lagos, is standing trial on charges of intent to defraud and stealing.

    He, however, denied the charge.

    ASP Roman Unuigbe, who is prosecuting the case, told the court that the accused committed the offences between May 26 and May 31, 2017 at Ejigbo.

    Roman said the complainant, Mr Ibrahim Lukman, reported the incident at the Yaba Police Station.

    The accused had on May 26, 2017, told the complainant that he was a clearing agent who intended going into the importation of hides and skin and that he needed some money for the business.

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    “The complainant gave the accused N2.5 million not knowing that there was no plan for any business.

    “The accused took the money from the complainant and ran away,” he alleged.

    The offences contravened Sections 278 and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    Newsmen reports that Section 285 stipulates a three-year jail term for stealing while Section 314  provides 15 years for fraud.

    In his ruling on the accused’s bail application, the Magistrate, Mr P.A. Ojo, granted the clearing agent bail in the sum of  N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

    Ojo said the sureties must be gainfully employed with an evidence of three years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    NAN

  • Two employees in court over N3m property theft

    Two employees in court over N3m property theft

    A company employee, Chuwkwuma Onwunka, who allegedly defrauded his employer of  N3million, was on Thursday charged before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

    Onwunka, 28, was arraigned along a former employee of  Phinarphilian Resources Ltd, Victor Chike, 31 , on a three-count charge of conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretences and stealing.

    The prosecutor, Sgt. Onaiwu Iyobosa, told the court that the accused committed the offences on Jan. 23 at Block 12, Shop 10, ASPMDA Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, Lagos.

    She alleged that the accused defrauded the owner of a  company, Arinze Opara, when he was ill and handed over the company to Chike.

    ”When the complainant went on sick leave in April 2016 and returned in December 2016, Chike could not account for ropes worth N2.5 million.

    “After he was dismissed in January, he connived with Onwunka  and sold some ropes worth N500, 000 to the complainant’s customer  and  failed to remit the money into the company’s account,’’ she said.

    The offences, she noted, contravened Sections 278 1, (a) 2 (a), 321 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

    The duo, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The Magistrate, Mrs O. S. Erinle, admitted the accused to a bail of N100,000 each with two responsible sureties each in like sum.

    Erinle said the sureties must be blood relations of the accused and should be gainfully employed.

    The case was adjourned until May 15 for  trial.

  • Housekeeper, boyfriend bag 7 years imprisonment for stealing

    Housekeeper, boyfriend bag 7 years imprisonment for stealing

    A Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court on Friday sentenced a housekeeper, Helen Wilson and her boyfriend, Martins Musa, to seven years imprisonment each for stealing property and cash worth seven million naira.

    Wilson, 28, resides with her employer at Victoria Island while Musa, 25, resides at No. 50, Ibadan Str., Ebute-Metta, Lagos.

    The two were standing trial on a three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and possession of criminal charm.

    They pleaded guilty to stealing property and cash worth seven million naira and not guilty on charges of conspiracy and possession of criminal charm.

    In his judgment, the Chief Magistrate, Mr P. A. Ojo, granted bail to the accused persons in the sum of N500, 000 each with two sureties each in like sum on count one and three.

    Ojo, however, sentenced Wilson and Musa to seven years imprisonment each without an option of fine.

    He adjourned the case till April 19 for continuation of trial on count one and count three.

    The Prosecutor, Insp. Roman Unuigbe, told court that the convicts, and others still at large, committed the offences between January and March 3 at 1004 Estate, Victoria Island.

    He said that the duo stole wrappers, wrist-watches, hand bags, ipad, foreign currencies and also sold the employer’s Toyota Camry car, all valued at seven million naira.

    The prosecutor said that Wilson, who worked as a housekeeper for one Aisha Yakubu, invited her boyfriend, Musa to her employer’s house when she travelled.

    Unuigbe told court that when the convicts were apprehended at Adamawa, a fetish ring was found in their possession.

    He said that the offences contravened Sections 287 (10), 133 (b) and 411 of the Criminal Law Cap C17 Voll. 3 Laws of Lagos State, 2015