A 47-year-old man, Erivona Yoma, was arraigned before the Magistrate Court sitting in the Yaba area of Lagos State for allegedly defrauding an agricultural company, Pally Agro Nigeria Limited, of N20 million.
Yoma allegedly defrauded Pally Agro under the pretence of purchasing and supplying them with planting materials and soya beans but converted the money for his use.
Yoma was brought before Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun on Friday on three count charges bordering on felony to wit, obtaining money by false pretence and stealing preferred against him by the police.
The police prosecutor, Rita Momoh, told the court that the defendant committed the offence sometime in 2021 and had since been on the run.
She said the offence committed was punishable under Section 411, 314(B) and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria 2015.
The charges read, “That you, Erivona Great Yoma, and others at large, sometime in 2021 in Lagos State, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wits obtaining money by false pretence, stealing and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Code of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
“That you, Erivona Great Yoma, and others at large, on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did fraudulently obtain the total sum of twenty million naira, from one Pally Agro Nigeria Limited, to purchase planting materials and soya beans. A representation you know to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 314 (8) of the Criminal Code Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.
“That you, Erivona Yoma, ‘m’ and others at large on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did steal the total sum of twenty million naira from one Pally Agro Nig. Ltd. and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
The charges were read to the defendant but he (Yoma) pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.
Magistrate Olatunbosun following the defendant’s plea granted him bail in the sum of N10m with three responsible sureties in like sum, one of which must be a land owner in Lagos State. She added that the court must verify all sureties’ documents.
Olatunbosun also adjourned the case till April 15, 2024 for mention.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
