A businessman, Ikechukwu Okongwu, was on Monday docked at an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly obtaining a loan of six million naira through false pretence.
Okongwu, 46, of Ago Palace Way in Okota, near Lagos was charged for obtaining the money from Supreme Micro-Finance Bank.
He was also accused of fraudulently diverting and converting a Nissan Quest bus, valued at N1.5 million.
The bus, said to be the property of the microfinance bank was sold by Okongwu without the consent of the bank.
The businessman was also accused of issuing dud GTBank cheques and falsely pretending to have money in his GTBank account prior to the issuance of the cheques.
The Prosecutor, Sgt. Lucky Ihiehie, told court that the offence was committed since December 2012 at the bank at Alhaja Abass Street, Ogudu Road in Ojota, Lagos.
Ihiehie said that the complainant, one Ayo Ajibolu, lawyer to Supreme Microfinance Bank, submitted a petition against the accused to the State Intelligence Bureau, Area H Command in Ogudu.
“Sometime in December 2011, the accused obtained a personal loan of N3 million and another loan of N3 million for his company, Signetyke International.
“The sum of N2, 002, 00 is outstanding for the first loan and N651, 313, 35 is outstanding for the second loan. All efforts made by the bank to recover the balance proved abortive.
“Further more, on September 30, 2012 and December 28, 2012, the accused issued four dud cheques of N500, 000 each to the bank.
The prosecutor noted that the offences committed contravened Sections 292 and 393 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Magistrate, Mrs O. Sule-Amzat, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N400, 000 with two sureties, whose addresses must be verified.
She ordered that the sureties must be blood relations to the accused and must also be resident in Lagos State.
Sule-Amzat said that both sureties must be taxpayers and must present evidence of rent and other utility bills.
The case was adjourned until December 6 for mention.
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