2 Men in court for alleged prepaid meter fraud

Two men, Shedrack Abiola and Julius Eze, were on Thursday arraigned at Ejigbo Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for alleged prepaid meter fraud.

The defendants, Abiola, 41, and Eze, 40, are standing trial on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy to defraud, fraud and impersonation.

The defendants fraudulently obtained the sum of N872,000 from members of the public in pretence to supply them prepaid meter.

The prosecutor, Insp. Benedict Aigbokhan, told the court that the suspects committed the alleged offences sometime in April, 2020 and August 2021, at Plot 10, Oyeniyi Str., Ajah, in Lagos.

Aigbokhan said that the defendants falsely represented themselves as staff of MOJEC International Ltd., a prepaid meter delivery company, by presenting identity cards bearing different names with their photographs fixed on it.

He said the defendants fraudulently obtained money from unsuspecting members of the public to procure prepaid meters for them but converted the money.

Aigbokhan said that the defendants obtained the said money from Mr King Olamiji, Mr Augustine Obi and Mrs Ganiyat Ejiwunmi.

He said the defendants obtained the sum of N705,000 from Olamiji, N140,000 from Obi and N27,000 from Ejiwunmi.

Aigbokhan said the defendants also collected money from other unnamed people.

He said the offences contravened Sections 78(b), 282, 322, 323 and 325(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Magistrate, Mr E. O. Ogunkanmi, granted them bail in the sum of N500,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.

Ogunkanmi said the sureties must be gainfully employed and must show evidence of tax payments to the Lagos State Government.

He adjourned the case until Feb.7, 2022 for mention