Justice Peter Lifu of a Lagos Federal High Court, has fixed March 15, 2023, for the arraignment of an engineer, Alhaji Rasak Shotunde, over alleged N166 million fraud.
Engineer Shotunde was charged before the court alongside his company, Rasatech Engineering Company Limited, by the men of Nigeria Police, on a nine count-charges of alleged conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, fraudulent conversation of funds and fraud.
The prosecutor, Barrister Morufu Animashaun, in a charge numbered FHC/L/696c/2022, stated that the engineer and his company committed the alleged offences between September 27, 2021 and July 6, 2022.
Animashaun stated that the defendant had fraudlently obtained the money from one Folashade Balogun, owner of Redbricks Homes International Limited Amen Estate Phase 2, Eleko Beach, Lagos, under false claims that of installing a dedicated 7.5MVA 33/11 feeder from Ajah TCN/EKEDC injection station to power the Estate.
Animashaun also stated that the defendant fraudlently obtained the money in tranches of N40 million; N121 million; and N5 million, through his account number 0043396144, domiciled in Access Bank Plc. Adding that upon receiving the money, the defendant allegedly converted it for his personal use.
The prosecutor states that the offences committed by the engineer and his firm, Rasatech Engineering Company Limited, are contrary to Section 8 (a); 1(1)(a); 1(b); of the Advance Fee Frauds and Other Frauds Related Offences Act 2006 (as amended) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of same Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 (as amended).
The prosecutor also stated that the alleged offences contravened Section 390 of the Criminal Code Act Cap.C38, Laws of Federation 2004, and punishable under the same Act.
At the hearing of the charge against the defendant today, the prosecutor, Animashaun told the court that the matter was fixed for the defendant’s arraignment, and that it unfortunate that ‘he is not in court’.
But the defendant’s lawyer, Fred Aigbadumah, informed the court that his client was unable to attend the court due to illness and he is currently on admission in a private hospital.
Aigbadumah assured the court that his client ‘would be up and able to come to court to take his plea and face charge against him in this charge on the next adjourned date’.
Following the plea made by, Justice Lifu, adjourned the matter till March 15, when the plea of the defendant will be taken.
