By Olakunle Olafioye

A 49-year-old woman, Mrs Ibironke Olaleye has landed in Kirikiri Maximum Prison for allegedly defrauding an unsuspecting client of the sum of N77 million.

A Lagos Magistrates Court, Tinubu, Lagos, ordered the remand of the suspect until she is able to meet the bail conditions slammed on her.

Olaleye in connivance with others who are currently at large, it was gathered, allegedly defrauded one Mr Adeyemo A. of F.P Petroleum Ltd under the pretence of procuring petroleum products and building a petrol station for the victim between July and December 2015.

Having failed to supply the products and build the station as agreed almost a year after she collected the money, the suspect reportedly issued his victim dud cheques to the tune of N19 million on March 18, 2016 as part payment of the total amount.

After all efforts to get her repay the money failed, the matter was reported at the Criminal Investigation Department, Alagbon, Ikoyi Lagos in May 2016. She was subsequently arrested and granted bail after an agreement to settle her victim with landed properties at Lekki in Lagos.

The suspect was reported to have resorted to playing hide-and-seek game and relocated from her known address until she was re-arrested last Thursday, 12th January through the efforts of detectives at Alagbon and taken to court.

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Olaleye, who was arraigned on Friday, January 13, 2017 on four count charge bordering on fraud, however pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The charges against her read: “That you, Ibironke Olaleye “F” and others now at large sometimes in July 2015 at Lagos in Lagos Magisterial District did conspire to commit felony to wit: obtaining money under false pretence and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 409 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

“That you, Ibironke Olaleye ‘F’ and others now at large on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District with intent to defraud did obtain the sum of N77, 056,000.00 from one Adeyemo A. “M’, with pretence that you would use the money to procure petrol products (AGO and PMS) and build station for him, a representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 312 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

“That you Ibironke Olaleye ‘F’ in the aforementioned Magisterial District did issue Zenith Bank cheque no: 00000258, dated 18th March 2016 for the sum N9, 900, 000.00 in favour of F.P Nig Ltd, a company owned by Mr Adeyemo A.and when presented for payment it was dishonoured due to lack of funds or insufficient funds standing to your credit on which the cheque could be drawn and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 313 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

“That you Ibironke Olaleye ‘F’ on same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did issue Zenith Bank cheque no: 00000257 for the sum N10, 692,000.00 in favour of F.P Limited, a company owned by Adeyemo A. ‘M’ and when presented for payment it was dishonoured due to lack of funds or insufficient funds standing to your credit on which the cheque could be drawn and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 313 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.”

The Presiding Magistrate, Oluniyi Ogundeji, admitted the suspect on bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum. The sureties, who must be civil servants in Lagos State, must show evidence of tax payments in the last two years. One of the sureties must be a senior public officer on Grade Level 14. 

The matter was adjourned to February 13, 2017.