A businessman, Jude Oguta, has narrated before the Ogba Magistrate Court, Ikeja, Lagos State, how his neighbour, Nnamdi Brown, allegedly defrauded him of N2.5m over car importation in the Ogba area of the state.
Led in evidence by his counsel, Chinalau Udadione, Oguta, on Monday, told Magistrate A.F Akinyemi, that Brown informed him of his car importation business and he sought his assistance when he needed to purchase a car in February 2021.
Oguta said, “He (Oguta) said I should give him N2.5m and I gave him. The value of the car was N5.5m but he said I could pay the remaining when the car had been imported into the country.”
The businessman said Brown later returned to demand additional N1m, adding that the amount he needed was actually N3.5m.
“I told him to refund all my money and I’ll give him N100,000. But I eventually sent him N1m to complete the N3.5m he requested,” Oguta added.
Oguta said when the time Brown stated that the car would arrive Nigeria elapsed, the defendant extended the delivery date for a month.
The business man said he had yet to receive the car and the money, adding that he reported the incident to the police.
He said, “At the police station, Brown refunded N1m out of the N3.5m.
“It remains the balance of N2.5m. He kept postponing paying the balance and the police charged the case to court. We have been in court since September 2021.”
Magistrate Akinyemi adjourned the matter till December 5 for continuation of trial.