Two clearing agents, Babajide Emmanuel James (29) and Musbau Akewusola (59) were on Friday arraigned before an Apapa Magistrates’ Court for allegedly obtaining N2, 550,000 from an exporter under false pretence at Apapa Port.
James and Akewusola are facing a three-count charge bothering on conspiracy, false pretence and forgery.
The port prosecutor, Sergeant Adeniyi Balogun told the court that the defendants committed the offences sometimes in August 2017 at Apapa Port, Lagos.
“The defendants conspired together to obtain N2,550,000 under false pretence from Alhaji Shuaibu Usman to export a 20ft container of wood to China which they failed to export,” Balogun said.
Balogun also added that the defendants fraudulently forged payment receipt with face value of N1 million knowing same to be forged.
According to him, the offences are punishable under sections 411, 314 and 365(j) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges against them.
The defence counsel for the first defendant, Glanville Ockiya asked the court to give his client lenient bail conditions while the defence counsel for the second defendant, Goke Olakunlehin asked the court to allow his client do self-recognition based on the grounds that his client is a Chief Imam who owns a mosque and a house of his own.
Olakunlehin said if his client failed to show up for the court proceedings he would do an undertaking.
In her ruling, the Chief Magistrate A.O Awogboro granted the first defendant N200,000 with two sureties in like sum while the second defendant was granted self-recognition with verification of his address.
She adjourned the case till August 15, 2018 for mention.