A 43-year-old customs agent, Emmanuel Chijioke Okoronkwo, was on Friday arraigned before an Apapa Magistrates’ Court for allegedly defrauding one truck owner, Emeka Alum, of N1.6 million.
Okoronkwo is facing a two-count charge of false pretence and stealing.
The prosecutor, Inspector Edet Ekpo, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on March 17, 2018 at about 1pm at Swiss Park, Aspamda Market, Trade Fair Complex, Lagos.
“The defendant with the intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N1.6 million from one Emeka Alum with the pretence of helping him to release his Volvo truck with registration number ARD 17 XW, loaded with Eva soap which was seized by Nigeria Customs officers at Benin toll gate, Edo State,” Ekpo said.
The prosecutor also said that the defendant stole the sum of N1.6 million from one Emeka Alum.
According to him, the offences are punishable under sections 313 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
Magistrate Nurudeen Layeni granted the defendant bail in the sum of N250,000 with two sureties in like sum.
The sureties according to the Magistrate must furnish the court with proof of tax payment to the Lagos State Government and one of the sureties must be a pastor.
He ordered that N20,000 be transferred into the Chief Registrar’s account and adjourned the case till January 14, 2019 for mention.