Lagos court jails man 15 years for N26m Toyota Hilux fraud
Lagos Court Sentences Man to 15 Years for Fraud
A Lagos State High Court in Ikeja has sentenced Abdulrahman Lawal Raji to 15 years in prison for defrauding a buyer of 26 million naira under the pretense of supplying a Toyota Hilux vehicle.
Justice Ismail Ijelu delivered the ruling on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, after finding Raji guilty of obtaining money by false pretenses. The case was brought by the Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which arraigned Raji on November 9, 2023, on an amended two-count charge.
According to the EFCC, Raji received 26 million naira from Olaide Ibidapo for the purchase of a 2022 Toyota Hilux but failed to deliver the vehicle or refund the money. One of the charges stated that Raji, along with another suspect who is still at large, unlawfully obtained the money between March 20 and March 21, 2023.
Raji pleaded not guilty to the charges. During the trial, the prosecution presented four witnesses and submitted several documents as evidence, while the defense called two witnesses of its own.
In his judgment, Justice Ijelu stated that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt, leading to Raji’s conviction. The court imposed a 10-year sentence for the first count and a five-year sentence for the second count, with both terms set to run concurrently.
In addition to the prison sentence, the judge ordered Raji to repay the full amount of 26 million naira to the petitioner. The case was rooted in Raji’s failure to fulfill a contractual agreement to supply a Toyota Hilux vehicle after receiving payment. Investigations indicated that he neither delivered the vehicle nor refunded the amount paid.
