The Lagos State Police have arraigned a cryptocurrency marketer, Temitope Longe, earlier than a Federal Excessive Court docket sitting in Lagos for allegedly acquiring the sum of N51,789,222 by false pretence and fraud.
Longe was docked earlier than Justice Tijjani Ringim on the alleged offences by the officers of the Police Particular Fraud Unit Ikoyi, Lagos.
The PSFU’s prosecutor, Mr Justin Enang, instructed the court docket that the cryptocurrency operator and others now at giant, dedicated the offences in Lagos typically in 2017.
Enang instructed the court docket that the defendant fraudulently obtained the sum of N25,894,711 from one Dr. Abiodun Adefunrin with false pretence of investing identical in cryptocurrencies and foreign currency trading.
He additional instructed the court docket that the defendant fraudulently obtained the sum of N25,894,711 property of Francis Aremu, and transformed identical to his private use.
In accordance with the prosecutor, the offences dedicated contravened Sections 8(a) and 1(1){a) and punishable underneath Part 1(3) of Advance Payment Fraud and different Fraud Associated Offences Act, 2006.
He additionally instructed the court docket that the offence was opposite to and punishable underneath Part 15(2)(b) of the Cash Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as Amended in 2012.
Nevertheless, the defendant pleaded not responsible to the allegations levelled towards him.
Following the defendant’s plea, the prosecutor requested for a trial date and in addition urged the court docket to remand him within the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Companies till the dedication of the costs towards him.
However the defendant via his counsel pleaded with the court docket to confess him to bail in probably the most liberal phrases.
His counsel instructed the court docket that his shopper was a first-time offender and that costs towards him have been bailable ones.
Justice Ringim, after listening to the counsels’ submissions, admitted the defendant to bail within the sum of N20 million with two sureties in like sum.
The Choose additional ordered that one of many sureties have to be a civil servant not under Grade Stage 14, amongst others.
Justice Ringim ordered that the defendant be remanded in NCS custody till when he is ready to meet the bail situations, and adjourned the case to March 30, 2023, for trial.
