BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
There was confusion at a branch of a leading commercial bank in Osogbo, Osun State recently when Awoyemi Joel Oluleye, an elderly customer with the bank was allegedly duped by an impersonator.
The suspected impersonator, namely Idris Balogun, 38, had reportedly disguised as a bank staff in charge of deposits.
Balogun, who dressed corporately, was said to have approached his victim and introduced himself as a cashier with the bank. He reportedly asked Oluleye to hand him the deposit after filling a bank teller.
Few minutes after handing over the sum of N2, 204,850, to Balogun, the bank customer became worried as the fake bank staff was nowhere to be found.
Oluleye was dazed with disbelief when he discovered that Idris was not a staff of the bank.
Meanwhile, about a month after, Idris was arrested by the police and arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Osun State on grounds of fraud, theft and impersonation by the police.
The charge pressed against him read that “Balogun Idris, on the 18th day of June 2022 at UBA Bank, Osogbo, Osun State in the Osogbo Magisterial District, did with intent to defraud, obtain the sum of N2,204,850 (Two million, two hundred and four thousand, eight hundred and fifty naira) from one Awoyemi Joel Oluleye under the pretense of assisting him to deposit same into a bank account belonging to one Ololade Adebola and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 419 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“Balogun Idris, on the same date, time, place and in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did steal the sum of N2, 204,850 (Two million, two hundred and four thousand, eight hundred and fifty naira) property of one Ololade Adebola and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 383 and punishable under Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume Il Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“Balogun Idris, on the same date, time, place and in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did with intent to defraud, present yourself to one Awoyemi Joel Oluleye as a staff of UBA Bank, Osogbo, a representation you knew to be false, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 484 and punishable under Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.”
However, Idris pleaded not guilty to the charges slammed against him.
Chief Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara ordered that the defendant should provide a written application for his bail.
He ordered that Balogun should be remanded in Ilesa Correctional Centre.
