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An Ebute Metta magistrates’ court has ordered the remand in prison of a 42-year-old man, Hassan Taiwo, for allegedly extorting a businesswoman, Doris, under the pretense of helping her to secure an American visa.
The accused was alleged to have demanded several millions of naira from the victim in 2022 while claiming to be a travel agent.
The accused, who had been on the run since then, was arrested in 2023 by detectives from the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCIID), Alagbon Close, Ikoyi, Lagos.
The prosecutor, Barrister S O Ayodele, told the court that, “My Lord, during interrogation, the complainant alleged that the accused convinced her to pay the money in order to procure a visa for.
“The accused promised that the visa would be read on an agreed date. However, all the agreement reached later turned out to be a scam as the accused bolted away after he collected the money.
“The accused also stopped every communication with the complainant. After he was arrested, the police tried to find out how he was going to pay back the amount collected.
“While investigation was still on, the accused admitted spending the money and that he would not be able to pay back.”
The accused pleaded not guilty.
The Magistrate, Mrs O A Akinde, granted him bail in the sum of N10m with two sureties in like sum and adjourned while remanding him in custody pending when he would perfect his bail conditions.
