The Nigeria Police has arraigned a 35-year-old woman, Rukayya Dantata, for allegedly defrauding a Bureau de Change consulting firm of ₦350,900,000.
Dantata was arraigned on two counts of fraud, cheating, and obtaining money under false pretences before a Lagos State Special Offences Court.
The prosecuting counsel, Ezekiel Rimamsomte, told the court that Dantata committed the alleged offences between July and August 2022.
He said that the defendant obtained ₦350,900,000 by fraudulent means, which was transferred into her Zenith Bank account and her firm Adat Ventures account under the name Rukayya Saadina Dantata.
Rimamsomte added that Dantata deceived her victims by pretending to conduct legitimate business transactions.
According to him, the offences committed contravened Section 1(a)(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offenses Act 2006, and Section 323 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
Dantata, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
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Her defence counsel, David Igbodo, requested bail for his client, submitting a bail application dated August 30, which was filed on September 42024.
Igbodo urged the court to grant the defendant bail under “the most liberal terms,” stating, “The defendant has complied with all police and EFCC summons and has not jumped bail, despite her health challenges.”
He further informed the court that Dantata’s husband, Alhaji Ismaih Singer, and one Otunba Olutaye Ariyo were present in court to secure her bail.
The prosecutor did not oppose the bail application and left the decision to the court’s discretion.
In a short ruling, Justice Rahmon Oshodi granted Dantata bail in the sum of N30m, with two sureties in like sum.
The judge stipulated, “Both sureties must provide an affidavit of means and evidence of three years’ tax payments to the Lagos State Government.”
Justice Oshodi also ordered Dantata to deposit her international passport and other travel documents to the court’s chief registrar, adding that the registrar must verify both her home and office addresses.
The case was adjourned to December 3, 2024 for trial.
