Three people including a woman, who allegedly obtained N20 million from a businessman, Rasheed Balogun, on the pretext of leasing a petrol station to him, were on Monday brought before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.

The accused — Ifedayo Obafusi, 42; Folarinwa Abiola (a woman) ,42; and Ayodeji Oshayomi,37 — all residents of Abule Egba, a Lagos suburb, are being tried for a four-count charge of conspiracy, obtaining under false pretences, impersonation and unlawful possession of property.

The trio pleaded not guilty to the charges.

But the Police Prosecutor, Sgt. Mike Unah told the court that the accused committed the offences on March 10 at Charity, Abule Egba.

Unah alleged that the accused conspired and obtained N20 million from Balogun to lease a Mobil petrol station to him which they failed to do.

He said the accused conspired and used Abiola, the manager, to impersonate the owner of the station, Mrs Omotola Akintola, to defraud Balogun.

Unah said that Balogun, who did not know that Abiola was impersonating the owner of the station, gave the trio N20 million.

The complainant, who later discovered that the accused impersonated the owner of the station to dupe him, reported the case to the police.

The offences contravened Sections 285, 312, 327 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 285 prescribes a three-year jail term for stealing, while Section 312 stipulates 15 years imprisonment for obtaining by false pretences.

The Magistrate, Mrs A.O. Gbajumo, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.

Gbajumo said the sureties must be gainfully employed and should show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

She adjourned the case until June 13 for mention.(NAN)

FOG/AOM/DA

Edited by Abdullahi Mohammed/Dele Akinsola