In the Yaba area of Lagos State, Erivona Yoma, a 47-year-old man, has been brought before the Magistrate Court, facing accusations of defrauding Pally Agro Nigeria Limited, an agricultural company, of N20 million.
Yoma is accused of deceitfully presenting himself as a supplier of planting materials and soya beans to Pally Agro, misappropriating the funds for personal use. On Friday, he appeared before Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun, facing three charges related to felony, including obtaining money by false pretense and theft, as brought forth by the police.
The police prosecutor, Rita Momoh, informed the court that Yoma committed the alleged offense in 2021 and had been evading arrest. The charges against him are in violation of Section 411, 314(B), and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria 2015.
The charges state, “That you, Erivona Great Yoma, and others at large, sometime in 2021 in Lagos State, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit obtaining money by false pretence, stealing and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Code of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015. That you, Erivona Great Yoma, and others at large, on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did fraudulently obtain the total sum of twenty million naira, from one Pally Agro Nigeria Limited, to purchase planting materials and soya beans. A representation you know to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 314 (8) of the Criminal Code Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015. That you, Erivona Yoma, ‘m’ and others at large on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did steal the total sum of twenty million naira from one Pally Agro Nig. Ltd. and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
Despite the charges, Yoma pleaded not guilty, leading Magistrate Olatunbosun to grant him bail in the sum of N10 million with three responsible sureties, one of whom must be a landowner in Lagos State. The court emphasized the need to verify all sureties’ documents. The case has been adjourned until April 15, 2024, for further proceedings.