A 46-year-old clearing and forwarding agent, Bamidele Ibironke, was on Thursday arraigned in Lagos for allegedly obtaining N670,000 under false pretences.
Ibironke, who resides in Somolu area of Lagos State, appeared in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on a two-count charge of stealing and obtaining under false pretences.
The prosecutor, ASP Eranus Nnamonu, told the court that the defendant committed the offences in October, in his office at the Tin-Can Island Port, Apapa, Lagos.
He said that Ibironke obtained the sum of N670, 000 from the complainant, one Mr Philip Okhue, having undertaken the contract of clearing Okhue’s saloon car from the port.
Nnamonu said that the defendant, however, failed to fulfil his part of the contract.
“Ibironke failed to clear the Honda Accord as agreed and has refused to refund the money collected,” Nnamonu said.
According to the prosecutor, the offences contravene Sections 285 and 312 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 312 prescribes seven years imprisonment for anyone found guilty of obtaining by false pretence.
Ibironke, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The magistrate, Mrs Abimbola Komolafe, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in like sum.
She adjourned the case till Feb.12, 2015 for mention.
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