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Nigerian defrauds Chinese partner of N68m

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6 years ago

May 10, 2018

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A Chinese national, Li Min, has told an Ikeja Special Offences Court how his Nigerian business partner refused to pay for goods he delivered to him which amounts to over N68 million since 2013; leaving his life in shambles.

Li Min, speaking through an interpreter, narrated how the defendant, Lawrence Maduagwu, had approached his company with a proposition for business in Nigeria, assuring him of an availability of market and that goods delivered would be promptly paid for.

“He gave order for Calcium Chloride and I wrote him an invoice and transported 500 metric tons of Calcium Chloride worth $179,000 to him. After they arrived at Port Harcourt seaport and after confirmation, he called and said there are more customers in demand for our goods and told me to send another one and it cost another $179,000.

“At this time, I didn’t know he was deceiving and playing me all along and he refused to pay for both goods. I called severally and appealed with him to send the payment.

“After several attempts, we tried looking for him in his office, after which he paid for the first shipment with a guarantee to pay for the second shipment. From 2013 to this moment, he has refused to pay for the second shipment.”

He also disclosed that account had been frozen due to the refusal to pay for the second shipment, and that his family had deserted him as they believed he was a fraudster.

He also stated that all through the period he and his compatriot, Ohio Ilogben, who had been an earlier witness in the case visited Maduagwu to demand payment, the defendant never mentioned any problem with the goods.

Maduagwu is charged with a two-count charge of obtaining goods by false pretence contrary to Section 1 (2) & (3) of the advance fee fraud and other fraud-related offences act no 14 of 2006 and Section 285 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011 respectively.

Samuel Daji, the prosecuting counsel, informed the court that prosecution would be closing its case, after Li Min’s testimony.

The defence counsel subsequently applied for a no-case submission. However, the no-case submission was refused by the judge, Mojisola Dada, who adjourned the case till June 15.