By Ayodele Popoola

A 54-year-old Solar installer, Olufemi Aguda, was on Tuesday arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Oke-Eda, for allegedly defrauding a client to the tune of N1.9million, under the pretense of installing Solar panel in his residence, which he reneged.

The defendant, whose address was not given, is facing a two-count charge of fraud and obtaining money under false pretense.

The police prosecutor, Abdullatef Sulaiman informed the court that the defendant committed the offence in Akure, sometimes in December, 2022.

Sulaiman alleged that the defendant obtained the sum of N1,900,000 from the complainant, one Gabriel Aderomilehin, under the pretense of installing Solar power in his premises, which he knew to be false.

The charges read in part, “That you, Aguda Olufemi James, sometimes in December, 2022, in Akure, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did obtain the sun of N1, 900,000 (One Million, Nine Hundred Thousand Naira), belonging to one Aderomilehin Gabriel, under a fraudulent trick of installation of solar power in his premises which you knew to be false.“

The offence contravenes Section 421, 419 of the Criminal Code Law of Ondo State, 2006

But the defendant pleaded not guilty to all the charges that were preferred against him.

The prosecutor, told the court that the case was a fresh matter which he would need sometime to study.

The defence counsel, A.B. Ogboye, said he was not opposed to the motion for adjournment. But he prayed the court to grant bail to his client, saying the case was a minor case .

He promised that his client would not jump bail and that they would soon come to inform the court of the reconciliatory moves between the parties.

The defendant explained in court he has installed the said solar power which the complainant has uses for months before before the solar inverter later developed fault and he has changed the inverter twice.

Chief Magistrate, N.T. Aladejana, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N2millon with two sureties each in like sum and adjourned the case till December 14, 2022.

The defendant who could not meet the bail conditions, was subsequently remanded at the Olokuta Correctional Centre.