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Web Designer Duped Blogger of N1.7M on 9ja Largest Forum, Nairaland

Published

8 years ago

August 18, 2016

Ikechukwu Iwezor has been arraigned for duping a blogger, Ola Akinlayo, of N1.7M on popular Nigerian social-forum, Nairaland. According to a police officer, Iwezor, 28, met Akinlayo on Nairaland in September 2015, and began discussing on web designing. Upon a business agreement, Akinlayo paid the sum of one-point-seven million after which Iwezor ran away to Abuja. Efforts to get the website proved futile and when Akinlayo felt it was beginning to look like fraud, he asked for his money back which was ignored, prompting Akinlayo to report the matter to the police. Iwezor was later arrested in Abuja.

The arresting officer, Sergeant Innocent Odugbo, charged Iwezor with three counts of conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretense and stealing which were punishable under sections 409, 312 (2) and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Charges leveled against Iwezor read, “ That you, Ikechukwu Iwezor, between September 2015 and April 8, 2016 in Lagos, within the Lagos Magisterial District, did commit felony to wit: stealing and obtaining money under false pretenses. “That you, with an intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of N1.7m from one Ola Akinlayo, on the pretext of helping him to design a website, a representation you knew to be false.”

Iwezor pleaded not guilty to the charges. Danielle Abbe, counsel for Iwezor urged the court to grant his client bail on liberal terms, as he was innocent until proved guilty.

Presiding magistrate, Mrs. F.F. Georg granted the defendant bail in the sum of N300,000, with two sureties in like sum.

She added that the sureties must provide proof of tax clearance for the last three years as well as an active residential address should also be submitted for verification to the prosecutor.

Note: Fraudsters are everywhere – you have to be careful of faceless busines