Businessman jailed 3 years for N1.8m tyre fraud

By Adaeze Iroha

A Yaba Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State, on Tuesday, sentenced a 39-year-old businessman, Mutiu Adeleke, to three years’ imprisonment for defrauding a company of N1.88 million on the pretext of supplying tyres.

The Magistrate, Mrs E.N. Ojuromi, ordered that Adeleke should be jailed for 18 months for each of the two counts he faced, or he should pay one million Naira to the complainant, Frajend Investment Ltd.

She, however, held that the sentences should run concurrently.

Ojuromi said that prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

She said that prosecution was able to prove both counts with four witnesses  and exhibits.

Adeleke was on April 21, 2017 arraigned on a two-count charge of stealing and obtaining by false pretences.

He had pleaded not guilty and was granted bail.

The case went into trial for four years.

According to the prosecutor, Sgt. Godwin Oriabure, the convict committed the offences in March 2016, at No. 34, Bola St. in Ebute Meta, Lagos State.

He said that the convict collected N1.88 million from  Frajend Investment Ltd. to supply 23 car tyres of different sizes.

Oriabure said that in one year, the convict did not supply the tyres and did not return the money.

The offences contravene the provisions of Sections 285 and 312 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.