BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
A 42-year-old man, Olagoke Adesola Ganiyu, has been arrested and arraigned by the Osun State Police Command over allegations of impersonation, fraud and threat to life.
Ganiyu was accused of presenting himself as a cement distributor with Dangote firm to a businessman named Gholahan Sarafadeen, and thereby swindled him of the sum of N32 million on the pretense that he would supply him trucks of cement.
During Ganiyu’s arraignment at a Magistrate’s Court sitting in Osogbo, the police accused him and others now at large of threatening the complainant after allegedly obtaining the said sum of money from him without supplying him the cement.
The charge against him read that “You, Olagoke Adesola Ganiyu, and others at large in the month of December, 2021 to January, 2022 at Number 1, Agbeni Street, opposite Abulesowo Total area, Ede, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit obtaining money under false pretense, impersonation and threat to life and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II, Laws of Osun State, 2002.
“You, at the same time and place, did fraudulently obtain the sum of N32,000,000 from one Ganiyu Sarafadeen with the pretense to supply him trucks of cement which you know to be false 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.
“You (defendant) on the same date, time and place, did falsely represent yourself to be Dangote cement distributor to one Gbolahan Sarafadeen and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 44 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.”
The defendant entered into a not guilty plea to the three-count-charge without the aid of a lawyer.
Police prosecutor, Inspector Sunday Asanbe, urged the court to remand the accused person in consideration of the huge amount of money involved.
Magistrate I. R. Ladipo ordered that Ganiyu be remanded in Ilesa Correctional Centre pending the June 17 adjourned date for mention.
