By Patience
A 38-year-old man, Ibironke Taiye, who allegedly defrauded his friend of N3.5million , was on Tuesday arraigned in a Kaduna Chief Magistrates’ Court.
Taiye, a resident of Ethopia Street in Barnawa Kaduna, is facing a two-count charge of fraud and stealing.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Chidi Leo, said that the defendant committed the alleged offences sometime in 2021 at Keke 2 Millennium City in Kaduna.
Leo said that the defendant fraudulently obtained N3.5million from one Donald Vincent, his friend for the purchase of two and half plots of land.
“The defendant approached the complainant and informed him that he wanted to sell his two and half plots of land at Millennium which he persuaded him to pay for it.
“He collected N3.5million from him, but refused to show him the land, nor refund his money.
“The complainant later discovered that the land never existed,” he said.
The prosecutor further alleged that all efforts made by the complainant to get his money back, proved abortive as the defendant ran to unknown destination.
“The defendant was however seen and arrested in Lagos State after the complainant reported the matter at the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department(SCIID),” the prosecutor said.
Leo said that the offences contravened Sections 234 and 217 of the Penal Code of Kaduna State, 2017.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges and the Magistrate, Ibrahim Emmanuel, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
Emmanuel also ordered that the sureties should be blood relations of the defendants and must have reasonable means of livelihood.
He said the sureties should reside within Kaduna and must show evidence of tax payment to Kaduna State Government and adjourned the matter until Aug. 24 for hearing.(NAN)
