A foreigner living in Lagos has been found guilty of fraud and has been sentenced to prison for 18 good months for his crime.
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A 31-year-old Ivorian, Abubakar Safiu, was on Thursday sentenced to 18 months imprisonment by an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for obtaining N135,000 on the pretext of supplying 10 bags of rice to two men.
The accused was first arraigned on June 19, on a four-count bordering on fraud and stealing. He, however, pleaded not guilty.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that after three adjournments, Safiu changed his plea and admitted the crime.
The Magistrate, Mr N. A. Layemi, said, “In view of the plea of guilty by the defendant, the defendant is found guilty as charged.”
Layemi, however, sentenced him to a year and six months imprisonment with an option of N50, 000 fine.
The magistrate sentenced Safiu after listening to the facts of the case which was reviewed by the prosecutor, Sgt. Oladejo Balogun, saying “the facts were as stated in the charge sheet”.
He told the court that Safiu committed the offences on June 3 on Niger Towers Glover Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
He said the accused obtained N81,000 from one of the complainants, Mr Olaniyi Kayode, on the pretext of supplying six bags of rice to him.
The accused also obtained N54, 000 from another complainant, Mr Francis Odey, with a promise to supply him four bags of rice, Balogun said.
“The accused did not buy the 10 bags of rice as promised, instead he converted the money to personal use.”
The offences contravened Sections 287 and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.