An Abeokuta Magistrates’ Court on Friday sentenced a 31-year-old real estate agent, Sunday Ikoni, to five years imprisonment for defrauding nine accommodation seekers of N3.9 million.

The convict was arraigned on a five-count charge bordering on fraud, stealing, obtaining money under false pretence and unlawful conversion, to which he pleaded guilty.

Magistrate O. M Somefun noted that all evidence presented in court proved beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant was guilty of the charges.

Mrs Somefun sentenced Mr Ikoni with an option of N250,000 fine in addition to the restitution of the whole amount collected from the complainants.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Olakunle Shonibare, told the court that Mr Ikoni committed the offences within September at different locations in Abeokuta.

Mr Shonibare said the convict obtained sundry amounts from different people, including Mark Taiwo (N750,000), Odesomi Segundo (N500,000), Mohammed Bello (490,000) and six others with the amount totalling N3.9 million.

He explained that Mr Ikoni neither provided the accommodation he promised the people nor refunded their money, but instead, converted the fund to personal use.

The prosecutor added that the offences contravened Sections 419 and 390(9)  of the Criminal Code Law of Ogun State 2006.

(NAN)