Lagos businessman arraigned for N1.4m theft

Adeleke Adeleye, a car dealer in Lagos, Nigeria, has been detained and charged with stealing N1.4 from a client in front of a Lagos Magistrate's Court.

According to reports, Abdul-Afeez Abdulateef was the victim of fraud committed against him while acting under false pretences.

Adeleye was charged with taking the complainant's money in exchange for a promise to sell a 2005 Toyota Highlander SUV for him starting in the year 2020.

He allegedly used the money for his own purposes and hasn't given the complainant's vehicle yet.

The complainant petitioned the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 2 Command, Lagos about the matter after waiting for the accused for two years without success to refund the money or provide the SUV for him. The AIG then ordered his men, under the leadership of Inspector Nwabinne Pamela, to find the accused.

The defendant was detained by the police team and brought before the Igbosere Magistrate's Court at the Ebute-Metta Magistrate's Court on a five-count accusation involving conspiracy, acquiring money by deception, theft, and behavior likely to disturb the peace.

In the charge with charge number D/17/2022, Police Prosecuting Counsel Jimoh Joseph informed the court that the defendant and other suspects who remain at large committed the crime in April 2020 at Awoyaya, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.

Jimoh testified in court that the defendant presented himself to the complainant as a car dealer and importer and obtained N1.4 million from him in exchange for the sale of a 2005 Toyota Highlander SUV, but the defendant used the money for personal expenses and hasn't given the complainant the car yet, which has led to his arrest.

Jimoh further told the court that the defendant followed the complainant with stones for daring to ask him for the N1.4m on October 25, 2022, when the complainant addressed the defendant about the money.

According to Jimoh, the defendant was charged with violating sections 325 (1), 314 (1)(a&b), 323 (1), 287 (1), and 168 (1)(d) of the Lagos State Criminal Law of 2015.

Adeleye, on the other hand, adamantly denied the allegations, and the presiding magistrate released him on N250,000 bond with two sureties in the same amount.

The case was postponed by the magistrate until 2 February 2023 for mention.

Source