A 51-year-old dredger, Jones Adeyemi Malumi, has landed in legal trouble after being accused of diverting ₦14.8 million meant for a dredging project in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.
According to police reports, the complainant, Abdulwahab Abubakar, allegedly engaged Malumi to execute a dredging job and paid the full contract sum upfront.
However, after receiving the funds, Malumi reportedly vanished without carrying out the project.
When all efforts to reach him failed and his mobile lines became unreachable, Abubakar petitioned the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG Adegoke Fayoade, in charge of Zone 2 Command, Lagos, who ordered an investigation. Malumi was later traced to a hideout and arrested through intelligence gathering.
Following the probe led by Inspector Mathew Agbonta, the defendant was charged before the Igbosere Magistrate’s Court sitting at Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Island, on a three-count charge of obtaining money by false pretence, conversion, and stealing.
Police prosecutor, DSP Francis Igbinosa, told the court that the offences contravened Sections 280, 314, and 280(1)(b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Malumi, a resident of Iba Estate, Ojo, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The presiding magistrate, Chief Magistrate Olumide Fusika, granted him ₦2 million bail with two sureties in like sum, one of whom must deposit ₦2 million with the court registrar.
The magistrate ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending the perfection of his bail conditions and adjourned the case for further hearing.
