Police arraign 76-year-old after son arrested for fraud flees

A 76-year-old man, Ademola Adeniran, has been arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, for an alleged fraud committed by his son, Lukman Adeniran.

The septuagenarian was arraigned on Tuesday on two counts bordering on perversion of justice.

Lukman was arrested by operatives from the Lagos State Police Command headquarters in Ikeja for converting a sum of N3m given to him by a firm to his personal use.

 The firm, whose name was not disclosed, had reportedly contracted Lukman to supply charcoal and given him the money, but he failed to produce the goods.

After futile efforts to get the product or retrieve the sum, the firm was said to have reported to the police, leading to Lukman’s arrest sometime in March 2015.

Our correspondent gathered that his father, Ademola, approached police operatives at the X-Squad Unit of the state police command, where Lukman was detained, and agreed to stand as a surety for him.

The suspect was said to have been granted an administrative bail, on the agreement that the father would produce him anytime he was needed at the command or pay N1.2m if he (Lukman) disappeared.

“At a point, the father could not present the suspect for prosecution. The complaint subsequently petitioned the Zone 2 Police Command in Onikan and the father was arrested,” a source said.

A police prosecutor, Inspector Eshiet Eshiet, who brought Ademola before the court, said his offence contravened sections 97 (1) and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The charge read, “That you, Ademola Adeniran, and one other now at large, on March 23, 2015, at Ikeja, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony, to wit: perversion of justice, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

“That you, Ademola Adeniran, on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid magisterial district, did stand as a surety for one Lukman Adeniran in the sum of N1.2m at X-Squad Unit, Lagos State Police Command in respect of a case of obtaining money by false pretences, stealing, and conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace, prevented him from appearing at the unit for prosecution with intent to defeat and frustrate the course of justice.”

The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge.

The presiding magistrate, Mrs. S.K. Matepo, granted him bail and adjourned the case till September 14, 2016, after the man promised to produce his son.

Punch