Native doctor in court for allegedly defrauding woman of N130,000

A native doctor, Mathew Nwode, charged with defrauding a woman of N130,000, was arraigned in Lagos on Friday.

Mr. Nwode, 57, of no fixed address is being tried for fraud and stealing at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

The Prosecutor, Christopher Okoliko, told the court that the accused committed the offences on December 13, 2014 at Charity, Oshodi, Lagos.

He said that the accused obtained N130,000 from Ngozi Ilonze, under the pretext of helping her to prepare herbal drugs that would cure her son’s sickness.

“The accused collected the money from the complainant to help treat her son, which he failed to do,” he said.

Mr. Okoliko, a police corporal, said after the complainant approached the accused to prepare herbs for her sick son, the accused billed her N130,000 which she sent to his bank account.

“The complainant paid the money into the accused account and after the accused received the alert, he was nowhere to be found,” he said.

The prosecutor said that all efforts made by the complainant to get the herbs or her money proved unsuccessful.

“The accused refused to pick the complainant’s calls and anytime the complainant used another number to call and the accused recognised her voice he will end the call.

“He relocated from his house and also refused to show up at his shop,” he said.

The prosecutor said that the accused was arrested after 16-month of his disappearance.

The offence, Mr. Okoliko said, contravened Sections 285 and 312 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, which attracts 15 years imprisonment on conviction.

The accused pleaded innocence of the offences and was granted bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum.

The Magistrate, M. Fadeyi, adjourned the case till May 19 for mention.

(NAN)