BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
A 29-year-old man, Oyinloye Samuel, has been dragged to an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court, Osun State, for allegedly defrauding a woman of the sum of N175,000.
It was gathered that Samuel borrowed the money from his friend, one Rofiat Salaudeen, for his pregnant wife’s cesarian section bill but failed to repay.
The bricklayer confessed that he didn’t tell Salaudeen the reason for borrowing the money and also promised her that he would return it same day.
Samuel said, “It is true I borrowed the money from my friend but it was not a fraudulent act as alleged. My wife was pregnant and when it was time for her to give birth, I rushed her to a private hospital around Oja-Oba in Osogbo.
“It was at the hospital that the doctor informed me to go and get N150,000, that my wife could not be delivered and that a caesarian section would have to be carried out. I became worried because I am a bricklayer and we don’t do much work during the raining season.”
“That was why I went to my friend, Rofiat, to borrow me the sum of N150,000 and promised to return it the same day. If I didn’t do this, I was afraid she might not want to give me. I needed to save my wife’s life and that of my baby. The operation was successfully done but I have not been able to raise the money I borrowed. I begged her to give me more time but she brought police to arrest me,” the defendant explained.
Meanwhile, the police prosecutor, Inspector Adeoye Kayode, informed the court that the defendant stole the sum of N175,000, property of Salaudeen Rofiat, between May and August, 2022 in Osogbo.
“That you Oyinloye Samuel, between the months of May and August 2022, at Ogo-Oluwa Area, Osogbo in the Osogbo Magisterial District, did fraudulently obtain the sum of One Hundred and Seventy-Five Thousand Naira (N175,000:00) only, from one Salaudeen Rofiat and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 419 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
“You did steal the sum of One Hundred and Seventy-Five Thousand Naira (N175,000:00) only, property of one Salaudeen Rofiat and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 383 and punishable under Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code CAP 34 Vol. II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002,” the charge read.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the counts. He was not legally represented.
Magistrate A. A. Adeyeba granted the accused person bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in the same amount, adding that the surety must be a property owner and must present evidence of ownership to the court.
The matter was adjourned till August 22 for mention. Failing to meet bail conditions, the father of one was dragged to Ilesa prison custody.
