Police Arraign Businessman For Alleged Attempted Kidnap, N12.7m Fraud

Police Arraign Businessman For Alleged Attempted Kidnap, N12.7m Fraud

Men of Inspector-General of Police Response Team (IRT) of the Nigeria Police, have arraigned a 47-year old businessman, Paul Smith Eigbefor, before Ogba Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, over alleged offences bordering on conspiracy, kidnapping, attempted murder and fraud of N12, 738, 000 million.

Paul who office is located at 7, Ladoke Akintola Street, GRA-Ikeja, Lagos, was alleged to have committed the offences at number Opebi link road, Ikeja, Lagos, between November 19, 2019 and August 1 and 7, 2020 and alongside his company, SmarshInvest Integrated Services Limited.

The businessman and his company were arraigned on the allegations, before magistrate M. A. Odusanya, on two separate charges marked MIK/F/6/2021 and MIK/F/7/2021, by the iRT’s prosecutor, Mr. Nosa Uhumwangho.

In the charge marked MIK/F/6/2021, the businessman was alleged to have conspired with his company to fraudulently obtained the sum of N10 million from one Oluyomi Olumide, under the pretence of investing the money in his company’s product named ‘Smarsh Integrated Services limited’, with a promise of given him multiple return.

He was also alleged to have procure one Olalekan John to kidnap and others to kidnap the said Oluyomi Olumide, when he demanded for refund of his investment from him.

In the charge marked MIK/F/7/2021, IRT accused the businessman and his company of defrauding one Victoria Ajenipa of N2.738,000 million.

He was alleged to have used the same idea he used in defrauding Oluyomi Olumide, to defraud Victoria.

The offences according to the prosecutor, Mr. Nosa, are contrary to sections 611, 405, 411 and 314 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
The businessman pleaded not guilty when the charge were read to him.

Following his plea of not guilty, the prosecutor, Mr. Nosa, urged the court to remand him in the facility of Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) till the determination of the charges against him.

But his lawyer pleaded with the court to admit to bail in the most liberal terms, on the ground that the charges against his client were bailable.

Deciding the counsel’s submission, magistrate Odusanya, admitted bail to the businessman in the sum of N2 million with two responsible sureties on each charge.

Magistrate Odusanya also ordered that one of the sureties must be a landed property owner with the court’s justification and that the sureties must show to court evidence of three years tax payment to the Lagos State government. Adding that a documents submitted by the sureties must be verified by the prosecutor.

The businessman’s trial on the allegations has been fixed for March 2, 2021.

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