Lagos Tailor Arrested After Allegedly Collecting N2.8 Million from Suitor in Failed Marriage Deal

• A 25-year-old tailor, Victoria Effiong, has been arraigned in Lagos for allegedly defrauding a suitor of N2.8 million under the false pretense of marriage
• The complainant, Dominic Asuquo, claims Effiong accepted cash, gifts, and even a daily feeding allowance, only to plan a wedding with another man
• Effiong denies the charges, asserting that she had no marriage agreement with Asuquo despite accepting his financial support

In a courtroom in Lagos on Friday, a 25-year-old tailor, Victoria Effiong, stood before Magistrate O. M. Ogun, accused of cheating a suitor out of N2.8 million.

Effiong, who hails from Isashi, Lagos, was arraigned for breach of peace, obtaining by false pretence, and cheating after allegedly accepting the substantial sum of money from one Dominic Asuquo, a man who believed they would soon be wed.

The events, described by police prosecutor Inspector Chinedu Njoku, allegedly unfolded over the course of several months, culminating in an incident on September 25, 2024.

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Failed engagement leads to courtroom drama

According to the prosecutor, Effiong had led Asuquo to believe they were on the path to marriage, even going so far as to introduce him to her family.

But behind this apparent commitment, Effiong is said to have taken cash, gifts, and other items under the guise of her engagement to Asuquo, only to plan a marriage with another man.

“Effiong unlawfully cheated the complainant by obtaining the sum of N2,866,000 under the pretext of agreeing to marry him, but she failed to follow through,” Njoku stated, adding that while the two were dating, Effiong received an iPhone valued at N240,000, clothes, accessories, and cash totaling N1.468 million, including a daily feeding allowance of N4,000 for seven months. Effiong also allegedly withdrew N300,000 from Asuquo’s ATM account for shopping.

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The situation took a dramatic turn when Asuquo discovered Effiong’s intentions to marry another man. Though her parents had acknowledged the relationship, Effiong denied any formal engagement, claiming that Asuquo had always known she was involved with someone else.

In her defense, Effiong admitted to receiving the iPhone and other gifts, but argued that she had been upfront about her discomfort with the constant flow of money from Asuquo. “I told him to stop sending me money,” she said in court, insisting there was never an agreement to marry.

The case, prosecuted under Sections 168, 322, and 314 of the Lagos State Criminal Laws of 2015, saw Effiong plead not guilty to the charges. Magistrate Ogun, after hearing the initial arguments, granted her bail set at N200,000 with two sureties of equal sum. The conditions required one surety to be a blood relative and include proof of tax payments and residence verification.

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The case has been adjourned until November 28, 2024, for further mention, leaving the courtroom, and perhaps the complainant, waiting for justice to unfold.

Tailor promoting Russian flag arrested in Kano

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested a tailor, simply identified as Ahmed for sewing the Russian flags used by protesters during the hardship demonstration in Kano state.

It was gathered that the security operatives cracked down on Ahmed, including some of the youths using the flag to protest on Monday, August 5.

Source: Legit.ng