Man docked over alleged fake credit alert

A 26-year-old man, Okechukwu Chibuzor, on Monday appeared before a Sabo-Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State, for allegedly giving a fake credit alert to a restaurant owner.

Chibuzor, who has no fixed address, was arraigned on a two-court charge of obtaining by false pretences and breach of public peace.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The prosecutor, Insp Godwin Oriabure, told the court that the defendant committed the offences at No. 27, Fola-Agoro Road, Shomolu, Lagos.

He alleged that the defendant ate at the Goodypot Restaurant, in the area, several times and accumulated a debt of N200, 000, but sent a fake credit alert to the owner, Mr Nwabueze Uchechi.

He added that the defendant conducted himself in a manner likely to cause breach of peace when Uchechi insisted that he should pay for all the meals.

Oriabure said that the offences contravened Sections 168 and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Our correspondent reports that Section 314 provides for 15 years’ jail term for obtaining under false pretences.

The Magistrate, Mrs A.O. Salawu, admitted Chibuzor to bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum.

She ordered that the sureties must have means of livelihood, adding that their addresses should be verified by the court.

Salawu adjourned the case until June 8 for mention.