A 39-year-old clearing agent, Chidi Unigwe, who allegedly obtained N2 million from a man, Julius Alake, on the pretext of assisting to clear his car and a container, on Wednesday got a reprieve as he was admitted to a N2 million bail.
An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court which gave the ruling, also granted the accused two sureties as part of the bail conditions.
The Magistrate, Mr T.O. Shomade, said the sureties must be gainfully employed and should also show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp. Raji Akeem, told the court that the accused, who resides at No. 66, Kazeem St., Ojo Road, Lagos, committed the offences on March 17, 2016, at Ipaja, a Lagos suburb.
Akeem alleged that the accused, who pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge of stealing and obtaining under false pretences, fraudulently obtained N2 million from Alake with a promise to clear his car and a container.
“The accused failed to clear the items and disappeared with the money.”
The offences contravened Sections 285 and 312 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 285 provides a three-year jail term, while Section 312 stipulates 15 years for obtaining by false pretences.
