A Lagos Federal High Court, recently remanded a driver, Jackson Ndubuisi, in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), over alleged conspiracy, obtained by false pretence, fraud and impersonation.
The driver was remanded in the NCoS custody, by Justice Nicholas Oweibo, after he pleaded not guilty to the charges made against him by the police from the Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID), Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos.
The police through its prosecutor, Sunday Oladitan Ayodele, told the court that the defendant with others now at large, sometimes in the month of March 2020, falsely presented himself to the duo of Ebenezer Omowunmi and Alexander Fayankinnu, that he was a driver, capable of delivery containers to port terminal at Apapa, Lagos.
The prosecutor further told the court that the defendant fraudulently obtained 43 containers from his victims, which he allegedly sold them away.
The prosecutor further told the court that for the defendant to succeed in carried out the alleged illegal acts, he impersonated one Nyeche Ndidi Osogor, whose name he used in defrauding his victims.
He told the court that the offences committed by the defendant, are contrary to section 8(a); 1(1)(c) and punishable under section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act 2006, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
He also told the court that the offences contravened section 383 and 484 and punishable under section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the offences when the charges were read to him.
Following his plea of not guilty, the prosecutor urged the court to remand him in the custody of the NCoS, till the determination of the charge. While also asked for a trial date.
The defendant’s lawyer, M. Udeagwu, did not oppose the prosecutor’s request.
Consequently, Justice Oweibo, adjourned the matter till June 30, for commencement of trial, while ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the NCoS