Ondo court arraigns trader over alleged N10.12m fraud, death threats

By Boye Oyeyemi

A 36-year-old trader, Titus Ishaya, was on Friday arraigned before an Akure Magistrate’s Court over allegations of defrauding two businessmen of N10.12 million and threatening to kill them after they demanded a refund.

Ishaya, who resides in Kanfasha, is facing a three-count charge of obtaining money by false pretence, stealing and criminal intimidation. He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Presenting the case, the prosecutor, Inspector Nelson Akintimehin, told the court that the defendant allegedly received N10.12 million from Engineer Emmanuel Olamide Bakare and Alfred Monday in March. He said the money was transferred into the defendant’s First Bank account for a business transaction.

According to the prosecution, Ishaya allegedly diverted the funds for personal use instead of supplying the agreed goods. The police further alleged that he threatened the complainants through telephone calls and text messages after they demanded either the goods or a refund.

Akintimehin told the court that the alleged offences contravened Sections 383, 390(9), 434 and 323 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 37, Vol. I, Laws of Ondo State, 2006. He subsequently applied for an adjournment to enable the police to assemble witnesses for the trial.

Meanwhile, defence counsel, Henry Orisamuyiti, urged the court to grant his client bail, arguing that the defendant would not interfere with the course of justice if released.

In his ruling, Magistrate Adedapo admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N2.5 million with two sureties in like sum. The court directed the sureties to provide evidence of landed property in a good location in Akure, valid National Identity Cards and current tax clearance certificates, subject to police verification of their addresses.

Alternatively, the court ordered that the sureties could deposit N2 million into the Judiciary account at Oke-Eda as collateral. The magistrate also ordered that the defendant be remanded in police custody pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions and adjourned the case until Aug. 3, 2026, for hearing.