Agent allegedly defrauds 25 accommodation seekers of N2.6m

Ogun State Police Command, yesterday, arraigned a 33-year-old estate agent, Kehinde Fatunse, before an Abeokuta Chief Magistrate’s court for allegedly
defrauding 25 accommodation seekers of N2.6 million. The accused, who is facing a 44-count charge of fraud and theft, pleaded not guilty. The prosecutor, Inspector Sunday Eigbejiale, told the court that the accused committed the offences between March and May this year at Oke-Sokori, Abeokuta. He said the accused obtained N2.6 million from 25 persons under the pretence of renting out a room and parlour, and a self-contain apartment to them. Eigbejiale said: “The accused has been defrauding innocent accommodation seekers by taking them to the same one room and parlour self-contain. He has collected money from 25 people to rent them the same apartment. “When a lot of report reached the Police about the accused, the bank into which the victims paid the money was contacted. “Fatunse was apprehended through a tip-off by the bank, when he came to withdraw money from the account.” The prosecutor argued that the offence contravened Sections 390 (9) and 383 of the Criminal Laws of Ogun, 2006. The defence counsel, Mr. Femi Meyile, applied for the bail of the accused on liberal terms and assured the court that he would not jump bail. Chief Magistrate Anthony Araba granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 with three sureties in like sum. He adjourned the case to August 3 for definite hearing.