Afeez Hanafi

The police in Lagos have arraigned a website designer, Ikechukwu Iwezor, in an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court for allegedly defrauding a blogger to the tune of N1.7m.

The 28-year-old Iwezor was brought before the magistrate, Mrs. F.F. George, on Monday on three counts of fraud.

The police said Iwezor and the blogger, Ola Akinlayo, met on Nairaland, a social media platform, sometime in September 2015, and started a discussion on website designs.

PUNCH Metro learnt that after reaching an agreement, Iwezor obtained N1.7m from the blogger for the purpose of designing a website for him.

Iwezor, however, reportedly fled to Abuja after the payment.

Akinlayo was said to have reported the matter to the police after efforts to get his money back proved abortive.

Our correspondent learnt that Iwezor was subsequently apprehended at Sauka, Abuja.

A police prosecutor, Sergeant Innocent Odugbo, who arraigned him on three counts of conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretences and stealing, told the court that the offences were punishable under sections 409, 312 (2) and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The charges read in part, “That you, Ikechukwu Iwezor, between September 2015 and April 8, 2016 in Lagos, within the Lagos Magisterial District, did commit felony to wit: stealing and obtaining money under false pretences.

“That you, with an intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of N1.7m from one Ola Akinlayo, on the pretext of helping him to design a website, a representation you knew to be false.”

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.

His counsel, Danielle Abbe, prayed the court to grant him bail on liberal terms, adding that he was innocent until proved guilty.

The presiding magistrate granted the defendant bail in the sum of N300,000, with two sureties in like sum.

She added that the sureties must show evidence of three years tax clearance and present their addresses to the prosecutor for verification.

Seun:
They met on Nairaland according to the story, but the fraud didn't happen on Nairaland. It's very important to keep that in mind. Let's be careful and smart when conducting business with people we met online. Don't pay huge amounts of money for a service you have not received.

D34lw4p:
My guy, so you believe this story? What type of website are they paying 1.7million for? Even if its up to that the first payment should be atleast a 50% of it, then after the completion of the project, he can pay the balance.

Seun:
They met on Nairaland according to the story, but the fraud didn't happen on Nairaland. It's very important to keep that in mind. Let's be careful and smart when conducting business with people we met online. Don't pay huge amounts of money for services you have not received.