The police in Lagos have arrested a gambler, Yakubu Bashir, for alleged fraud at the Bendel Inn on Ipodo Road, Ikeja, Lagos.
Bashir was picked up for his inability to pay for drinks and food worth N145,000. Punch Metro learnt that Bashir had gone to the hotel on Wednesday with his friends to celebrate winning a sports bet. He was said to have won N36,000.
He reportedly ordered assorted drinks and food for himself, his friends and other people in the bar, with a promise to pay the bills.
It was gathered that after the drinking and merriment, the manager, Alaba, approached Bashir, telling him that his bill was N145,000.
Trouble, however, started when the suspect said he had only N36,000 and begged that he should be allowed to pay the balance in installment.
A Punch correspondent learnt that in the ensuing altercation, Bashir was detained, while the manager reported the case at the Ikeja Police Division, leading to his arrest.
“I am an NCE holder and work as a security guard in a hotel. On December 6, I placed a sports bet and won N36,000. Out of happiness, I went to the bar with my friends to celebrate my breakthrough. The money was in my bank account. I wanted to withdraw it the following morning because we wanted to pass the night at the bar. I explained to a waiter that I would give him N36,000 and pay him up by January, but he refused,” the 26-year-old suspect reportedly told the police.
A police prosecutor, Inspector Benedict Aigbokhan, brought Bashir before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court on two counts of conduct likely to cause breach of the peace and fraud.
The charges read, “That you, Yakubu Bashir, on December 7, 2016, at about 1.10am at Bendel Inn on Ipodo Road, Ikeja, Lagos, in the Ikeja Magisterial District, did conduct yourself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace by ordering for assorted drinks and food for your friends worth N145,000 and refusing to pay, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 166 of the Criminal Law, No. 11, Vol.44, Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.
“That you, on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid magisterial district, did fraudulently collect assorted drinks and food valued at N145,000 promising to pay, knowing same to be false, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 312 of the Criminal Law, No 11, Vol.44, Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.”
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty before the presiding magistrate, Mrs. O.A. Akokhia, and was granted bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.
The case was adjourned till January 25, 2017.
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