Thrift collector, others in court over alleged N15m fraud

A thrift collector and two others, on Tuesday, appeared before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly defrauding a man of N15million.

Korede Adeleke, 19, a thrift collector, Duru Charles, 26, a recharge card vendor and phone operator and Florence Oyeniyi, 18, unemployed job seeker, are facing charges of conspiracy, stealing, fraud and forgery.

The defendants, who all reside at Orile Agege area of Lagos State however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecutor, ASP Raji Akeem told the court that the offences were committed between March and June 2023 at Kaslee Nigeria Limited, Agege, Lagos.

Akeem said that the company deals in credit and loan and also daily contributions.

The prosecutor said that the first defendant, an employee of the company owned by Mr Oyekunle Oyelere, allegedly defrauded his employer by falsifying the company’s credit cards with spurious amounts.

He also alleged that Adeleke forged the company’s receipts to carry out his fraudulent act.

Akeem said that the fake accounts used to perpetuate the alleged fraud were traced to the second defendant and third, later discovered to be Adeleke’s girlfriend.

The offences, the prosecutor said, contravened Sections 287, 314, 328, 337, 365 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Bola Osunsanmi granted the defendants N500, 000 bail each with two sureties each in like sum.

Osunsanmi adjourned the case until Jan. 29 for mention.