By Biodun Busari

A 62-year-old Nigerian businessman was recently arrested following a payment he made with fake currency in an IVF clinic in India.

The Nigerian man, Omoidada Omoragbon used fake notes to pay part of the Rs 1.16 lakh (approximately $1,457) for the treatment of his wife in the hospital.

Read also: Nigerian man, Indian wife nabbed for defrauding govt employee over N15million

According to The Times of India, the clinic found that 58 notes of Rs 2,000 denomination were counterfeit after the bank’s verification machine rejected them but the treatment cost a total of Rs 1.28 lakh.

A Mumbai court, this week, rejected the bail plea of the accused, observing that the proof pointed out that he was involved in preparing the counterfeit notes in conspiracy with a now fugitive accused Bulket.

“At this stage, that is at the time of filing of (the) charge sheet, it cannot be said that there is no evidence against the accused and that he is not involved in the commission of (an) offence. The accused is from Nigeria and he has (a) connection with Bulket, who is absconding.

“In such circumstances, if the accused is released on bail, there is (a) possibility that he would tamper with evidence and abscond from India,” the court said.

Omoragbon denied the allegations and claimed that there was no evidence against him. He also alleged that either the IVF centre staff or the bank officials could have tampered with the notes, but the court disproved his claims.

The Nigerian remains innocent until proven guilty.