Businessman in court for allegedly assaulting, defrauding girlfriend of N4.5 million
A businessman, Obinna Amaefula on Thursday appeared before an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos and was remanded by Magistrate Ejiro Kubeinje for allegedly defrauding his girlfriend of N4.5 million and aborting her five-month-old pregnancy.
Amaefula is charged with four counts bordering on obtaining money under false pretence, stealing and assault. He pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against him. The Prosecutor, Insp. Lucky Ihiehie told the court that the defendant committed the fraud on May 20 on Atunrase Estate, Gbagada in Lagos State. He said, “The defendant collected the sum of N4,550 000 from his girlfriend and the complainant, Ese Odobo, on the pretence of purchasing three `tokunbo’ cars for her business, a representation he knew to be false. He fraudulently obtained the money and kept lying to her and giving excuses why the said cars had not arrived. The complainant suspected a foul play and demanded her money but she was assaulted by the defendant with series of slaps, and he knew she was pregnant for him. The defendant went further, after some days of assaulting the complainant, to drug her and unlawfully aborted her five months’ pregnancy,” the prosecutor said. The offences violate sections 171, 236, 287 and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. The Magistrate, Ejiro Kubeinje adjourned the case until Aug. 28 for substantive hearing.