COURT JAILS POLY STUDENT FOR FRAUD IN ENUGU

"Jelili Lawal, told the victim that he was one of the customs agents designated to sell seized vehicles"

The Federal High Court sitting in Enugu has sentenced a second year student of Lagos State Polytechnic to six months in prison for defrauding one Donald Duke, a businessman.

When the matter came up on Monday, the counsel to the plaintiff, Mr Felix Ibekweta, told the court that the offence was committed in 2011 in Enugu.

He said the accused, Jelili Lawal, told the victim that he was one of the customs agents designated to sell seized vehicles.

``The accused told the victim to pay the sum of N40,000 into his account if the victim wanted to buy a car, which the victim did.

``After the victim paid the money into the account, he withdrew the money and switched off his phone,’’ Ibekweta said.

He prayed the court to use the relevant section of the law to punish the accused to serve as a deterrent to those who would try such in future.

When the one count charge of obtaining by false pretence was read to the accused, he pleaded guilty.

In his plea, the counsel to the accused, Mr Emeka Oji, told the court that the accused was only 23 and the first son of his family.

“The accused is from Osun State and a second-year student of Lagos State Polytechnic.

“His father is critically ill and was admitted in the hospital for the past eight months. His freedom will bring his father back to life if granted,” he said.

In her judgement, Justice Dorothy Agishi initially sentenced the accused to two years in prison but after a series of pleading from the accused and his counsel, she reduced the sentence to six months.