Film producer in court over alleged N250,000 fraud

The police on Tuesday in Lagos charged a film producer, Akin Ogunbiyi, to court over an alleged N250,000 fraud. Ogunbiyi, 37, was docked at an Oshodi Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly defrauding a film director, Mr Tijani Aliu of the amount. The accused, who resides at No. 3, Aimasiko St., Mafoluku, in Oshodi area of the state, is facing a two-count charge of fraud and stealing. Cpl. Kehinde Olatunde, the prosecutor, said that the accused committed the offences on Oct.16, 2013 at No. 68, Mafoluku Road, Oshodi. He told the court that the accused fraudulently obtained N250,000 from Aliu with the pretext of helping him to produce a film. “The complainant approached the accused to help him shoot a film and the accused collected N250,000 from him for the shooting of the film. “On getting to the shooting location at Idiroko, Ogun, he discovered that the accused came with his own actors and was shooting his own personal film, leaving his (complainant’s) own undone,” he said. Olatunde said the accused promised to shoot the film the following day but when the complainant went to the location with his star artists, the accused did not show up. “The accused has been on the run and all efforts made by the complainant to retrieve his money have proved abortive,” he said. According to Olatunde, the offences contravene Sections 285 and 312 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Section 312 prescribes a 15- year jail term as penalty for an offender. Ogunbiyi, however, pleaded not guilty to the offences and the magistrate, Mr Akeem Fashola, granted him bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum. Fashola adjourned the case till April 14 for trial.