Indian Man Dragged To Lagos Court After He Swallowed Rat Poison Over Arrest For N116m Fraud

An Indian national identified as Lokesh Parwani has been dragged to Igbosere Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos State, after he allegedly attempted suicide over the fear of being arrested for an alleged N116 million fraud.

The Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (Force CIID), Annex, Alagbon-Ikoyi, arraigned Parwani, the Personnel Manager of an Indian-owned firm in Lagos, on a three-count charge of conspiracy, fraud and attempted suicide.

Police counsel, Morufu Animashaun, alleged that Parwani and his accomplices, who are on the run, conspired and defrauded his employer of the said sum on July 19, 2019, at Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Animashaun said the defendant’s employer reported the fraud to the police, which after investigation, confronted Parwani with the allegations on July 26.

The police arrested Parwani, but he allegedly attempted to take his life by quickly eating ‘Super Kill Action Ready Bait Cake’, a rat poison. According to the prosecutor, the offenses contravened sections 411, 280(1) and 235 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 and were punishable under sections 287 and 407 of the same law.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge, which was read to him in English. Following his plea, Animashaun prayed the court to remand Parwani in prison custody pending trial.

But the defendant’s lawyers, Gani Oyerevuegbe and Mustapha Danisi, opposed him. They said Parwani had no criminal record and applied for his bail “on the most liberal terms.”

In a bench ruling, Chief Magistrate K.K. Awoyinka, granted the defendant N1 million bail with two sureties in the like sum. Both sureties must be residents of Lagos and must provide evidence of three years of tax payment to the state government.

Awoyinka remanded Parwani in prison custody pending the fulfillment of the bail terms and adjourned till September 2, for trial.