Woman Duped Of N1.2m By Online Lover

Woman Duped Of N1.2m By Online Lover

A woman identified as Oluremi Lawal has been allegedly duped of N1.2m by a man she met online claiming he needed money to pay his hospital bill.

One AbdulSobur Katayeyanjue was, on Friday, arraigned before an Osogbo Chief Magistrates’ Court, for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N1.2m from a woman, Oluremi Lawal.

The 23-year old Katayeyanjue appeared before Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara on four counts of pretence, fraud, stealing and conspiracy.

Katayeyanjue and others yet to be apprehended allegedly perpetrated the crime sometime in June this year.

Responding to questions from the court, the complainant, Oluremi, explained that she met one Olamide Adegoke on the social media and they engaged in a relationship.

She said not long after, she received a call from Katayeyanjue, who informed her that her lover was involved in a motorcycle accident and needed money to settle the hospital bills.

Oluremi stated, “I met Adegoke online and he was pretending to be caring and loving. Not long after, I received a call that he was involved in a motorcycle accident and that he needed money for treatment.

“The person, who called me, happens to be Katayeyanjue, who pretended to be a police officer from the Adigbe Police Station in Abeokuta, Ogun State. He told me that he checked Adegoke’s phone and found a number saved with ‘My love’ and that the number turned out to be mine.”

The police prosecutor, John Idoko, said Katayeyanjue conspired with others at large in June 2019 in Osogbo to commit the crime.

He explained that the defendant obtained the sum of N1.2m from Oluremi on the pretext that he would spend it on the treatment of the accident victim.

The offences, according to him, contravene sections 422, 419, 516 and 390 (9) of the Criminal Code, Cap 34 Voll. II, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The defence counsel, A. O. Emmanuel, said his client had been granted an administrative bail by the police.

Magistrate Ayilara, however, directed that Emmanuel should file a former bail application for his client.

He remanded the defendant in a correctional centre and adjourned the matter till January 17, 2020, for hearing.