By Sade Adewale, Ondo

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A 53-year-old pastor, Adeola Mattew, has been sentenced to four years imprisonment by an Ondo Magistrate’s Court for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N1,200,000 from a man under false pretences.

The convict was accused of collecting  the sum, under the pretence of selling farmland to the complainant, one Oyewole Adetomide.

The prosecutor, inspector Bernard Olagbayi, told the court that the convict collected the money from the complainant,  sometime in July 2021 at No 48, Arelepo Bamikemo street, Ondo.

Olagbayi said the convict fraudulently collected the money through account No 3166294122 with First Bank  maintained by Adeola Mattew.

According to him, the convict ran away after the incident and was later arrested in Kwara State and brought  to Ondo State where he  committed the offence.

The offence contravene Sections 419 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol.1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.

He pleaded guilty to the charge levelled against him.

The convict who was not legally represented, pleaded  for mercy, promising he would not do it again.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Charity Adeyanju, considered the allocutors made by the convict, as a first offender, and sentenced him to four years imprisonment.

She, however, gave him an option to pay the sum of N1,200,000 to compensate the complainant.