A 40- year-old civil servant, Alani Taofeeq, on Friday appeared before an Abeokuta Magistrates’ Court for allegedly defrauding three men of N275,000 on the pretences of helping them to buy motorcycles.
Taofeeq, who resides at No. 12, Soluade St., Ijeun Tuntun area of Abeokuta, is facing a two-count charge of fraud and stealing.
The prosecutor, Insp. Olu-balogun Lawrence, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on Jan. 4, at about 8:00p.m., at One Aregbe area in Abeokuta.
Lawrence said the defendant collected the sum of N105,000 from one Mr Ogunjobi Rasaq on the pretence that he would help him buy two motorcycles from the Ogun Ministry of Forestry.
The defendant had claimed that the ministry was auctioning some goods.
He said that the defendant also collected the sum of N45,000 from Mr Abdullahi Jubril and N125,000 from Mr Ogun Mukailia on the pretence that he would also help them to purchase two motorcycles.
The defendant had told his victims that the purchase would be through auction sales from his office where he was working as a driver.
He said the defendant converted the money into his personal use while efforts by the complainants to get the motorcycles or retrieve their monies proved abortive.
He said that Toafeeq was arrested and handed over to the police.
The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 419 and 319 of the Criminal Laws of Ogun, 2006.
The defendent, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The magistrate, Mr Olakunleyin Oke, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N250,000 with two sureties in like sum.
Oke said the sureties must be gainfully employed and provide evidence of tax payment to the Ogun Government.
He then adjourned the case until Jan. 8,2020 for trial. (NAN)