- Court Convicts Man for Defrauding Buyer of N26m in Hilux Deal
- The court sentenced Raji to 10 years imprisonment on count one and five years imprisonment on count two
- Justice Ijelu also directed the convict to refund the sum of N26 million to the victim
A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has sentenced Abdulrahman Lawal Raji to 15 years imprisonment for defrauding a buyer of N26 million under the pretext of supplying a 2022 Toyota Hilux vehicle.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Justice Ismail Ijelu delivered the judgment on Tuesday after finding the defendant guilty of obtaining money by false pretence.
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According to a statement issued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Raji was arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the anti-graft agency on November 9, 2023, on an amended two-count charge.
The EFCC alleged that the convict collected N26 million from a petitioner, Olaide Ibidapo, for the purchase of a 2022 Toyota Hilux but failed to deliver the vehicle or refund the money.
One of the charges stated that the defendant obtained the money by falsely representing that it was meant for the purchase of the vehicle, a claim prosecutors argued he knew to be untrue.
Raji pleaded not guilty to the charges when he was arraigned.
During the trial, prosecution counsel Ebuka Okongwu presented four witnesses and tendered several documentary exhibits before the court. The defence, on its part, called two witnesses.
In his judgment, Justice Ijelu held that the prosecution successfully proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and consequently convicted the defendant on both counts.
The court sentenced Raji to 10 years imprisonment on count one and five years imprisonment on count two, with no option of a fine. The judge ordered that both sentences run concurrently.
Justice Ijelu also directed the convict to refund the sum of N26 million to the victim.
The case stemmed from a failed vehicle transaction in which Raji allegedly received payment for a Toyota Hilux but neither supplied the vehicle nor returned the funds, leading to investigations and subsequent prosecution by the EFCC.
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