Lagos arraigns tax agent for defrauding State of N2.4m tax remittance

A tax agent of a Lagos-based company, Kehinde Babatunde, who allegedly defrauded the State of N2.4 million meant for tax payments, Tuesday, appeared before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

Babatunde, 44, was arraigned on a six-count charge of fraud, forgery and stealing by the police, before Mrs K. S. Abdulsalam.

Prosecuting Sergeant, Friday Mameh, alleged that the defendant committed the offences from 2017 to sometime in 2018 in Lagos.

The court heard that the defendant obtained N2.4 million from his employer, DKR Associates, for remittance to Lagos State Inland Revenue Services (LIRS) as the firm’s annual tax payments but converted it to his use.

Mameh said the defendant forged LIRS receipts of February 6, 2017 with serial numbers 35911480/MINOHGAG and that of May 8, 2017, marked 35742568/UJKEHKND.

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According to him, the defendant also forged three Skye Bank tellers in the name of LIRS deposit slip “so that the documents would be acted upon as genuine to the prejudice of DKR Associates.”

According to Mameh, the offences contravened Sections 287, 314, 336, 337, 365(3) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Magistrate Abdulsalam granted Babatunde N500, 000 bail with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of three years Land Use charge payments to the Lagos State Government and a six-month bank account statement.

The case continues on October 10.

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