By Our Reporter
Alhaja Wosilat Akinola Bankole, a 51 years old Lagos Island celebrity woman has been arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate’s Court for allegedly obtaining the sum of N40, 500,000 from five Lagosians under false pretence.
The complainants were identified by the police as Ishag Habib Salaudeen, Obomeghie Mahmud Adam, Azeez Taiwo Adenle, Okubanjo Olanire Funsho and Badejo Moyosore Idowu.
Police alleged that the defendant collected the money from the complainants on the pretext to help them obtain a licence from the Central Bank Nigeria, CBN to operate Bureau de Change business, a claim the Police said the defendant knew to be false and that the defendant failed to fulfil the promise and that instead converted the money to her use.
Bankole was arrested by the operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID, Zone 2 Command, Lagos and charged before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Island on a four-count charge of conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretence and stealing.
Police Counsel, Francis Igbinosa told the Court that the defendant committed the offence in June 2022 at 34, Foresythe Street, Lagos Island, Lagos.
Igbinosa informed the Court that the defendant tricked the complainants and collected the sum of N40.5m from them to obtain a license from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN to operate Bureau de Change business but that the defendant failed to provide the license for the complainants and instead converted the money to her use.
He said that the defendant collected the sum of N7m each from the complainants and failed to provide the license which led to her arrest.
Igbinosa said the offences the defendant committed were punishable under sessions 411, 314, 318 and 280(1)(a)(b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and Magistrate E.O. Ogunkemi Ammao granted her N2m bail with two sureties in like sum.
Ammao adjourned the case till 12 May, 2022 for mention and ordered that the defendant be kept at the Kirikiri Correctional Facility, Apapa, Lagos till she perfected the bail
