Man arraigned for alleged N1.8m fraud

A 31-year-old contractor, Lucky Arinola, has been arraigned before an Ebute Meta Magistrate's Court for allegedly defrauding a construction company, Brentagh Limited, of N1.8m.

He was arraigned by the police on three counts of obtaining under false pretences, stealing and fraud.

Arinola was said to have been contracted by the company to excavate a land in Benin City, Edo State.

The contract, which was signed in the FESTAC area of Lagos, was awarded to Arinola after he claimed to be working with Reynold Construction Company.

He allegedly took excavation tools to the site, but after spending some time on the job, he reportedly abandoned it.

He was arrested and detained following his failure to return all the money.

The charge read in part, "That you, Lucky Arinola, and one other now at large, on the 24th of April, 2012, at 5th Avenue, R Close, House 29, FESTAC Town, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did obtain the sum of N1,800,000  from one Edomwonyi Edegbe, under the pretext of carrying out excavation job for him, which you knew to be false."

The prosecutor, Corporal Cyriacus Osuji, said the offences were punishable under Sections 499, 312(1) (a), 285(9) (b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

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