Cleric arraigned for ‘defrauding’ bureau de change of N12m

Segun Oyeniyi, a 41-year-old cleric, is facing trial at a Tinubu magistrates’ court, Lagos, for allegedly defrauding a bureau de change operator of N12 million.

Oyeniyi has pleaded innocence of the offences of conspiracy, fraud and theft preferred against him.

Ben Ekundayo, a police inspector and the prosecutor, alleged that the accused committed the offences sometime in November.

He said the accused collected 102,000 dollars from Ramadan Musa, a bureau de change operator, under the pretext of giving him the naira equivalent of N32 million.

According to him, the accused paid N20 million and refused to pay the balance of N12 million.

“Oyeniyi approached the complainant, a bureau de change operator for dollars with the agreement of paying him the naira equivalent,” he said.

“Musa made the payment of 102,000 dollars into an offshore account in November 2017 with proof of payment.

“The accused after much pressure paid N20 million out of the N32 million and refused to pay the balance of N12million.”

The offences contravened sections 287, 314 and 411 of the criminal law of Lagos state, 2015.