By Ayodele Popoola

Two men- Sunday Ubong, 32, and Ime Wilson, 23, have been arraigned at an Akure Chief Magistrates’ Court over alleged N4 million solar inverter fraud.

The duo, who reside in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State were brought before the court on a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy, criminal conversion, fraud and stealing.

The prosecutor, Inspector Nelson Akintimehin told the court that the defendants and others at large committed the offences between May and June 2024 at the Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA, Ondo State.

Akintimehin said the defendants and their accomplices at large, had intention to defraud, hence they conspired to collect the sum of N4,334,125 from some members of staff of the institution, under the pretence of installing the solar inverter and drilling borehole for them.

The defendants are also accused of stealing the money and converting it to their own use.

The prosecutor said, “The defendants fraudulently collected the sum of N1,830,250 from one Amuwa Williams, under the pretence of installing a solar inverter for him and also collected the sum of N880,000 from one Adenike Adetoroye, under the pretence of installing 3.5KVA inverter for her.

“They also obtained the sum of N853,374 from Isaac Adam and N769,500 from one Florence Adetunji under the pretence of installing a 10KVA inverter and drilling of a borehole for them respectively, which they failed to do so.”

He emphasized that all efforts made by the complainants to get back their money from the defendants proved abortive.

The offences contravene Sections 516, 390(B)(8) and 419 of the Criminal Law of Ondo  State, 2006.

 The defence counsel, J. Elabi applied for the bail of his clients on lenient terms.

The prosecutor urged that the court to refuse the defendant’s bail application claiming that granting them bail could stall the trial.

“The defendants are at flight risk if granted bail and the case will be in jeopardy because they are not residents of this state.

“They were arrested in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state through tracking. It took a joint effort of the command in Ondo and Akwa Ibom states, five days before the defendants could be arrested,” Akintimehin argued.

However, the Chief Magistrate, Sunday Adedapo overruled the prosecutor’s objection and granted them N2m bail each with one substantial surety in like sum.

 Adedapo ordered that the defendants be kept in the Segede Custodial Facility in Ondo till the perfection of their bails. He adjourned the case till December 17 for trial.