Forgery Lawyer, 3 Others Docked

A legal practitioner and three others were on Monday arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrates Court for allegedly using forged certificate of occupancy to sell a N43 million landed property.

The accused persons, Tobech Egbor, 45, Morenike Ojogbede, 38, Moses Bawa, 50, and Abiodun Bello, 36, are facing a five-count charge of conspiracy, stealing, forgery and obtaining by false pretence.

The prosecutor, Jaiye Oloruntoba, an assistant superintendent of police, told the court that the offence was committed in Lagos in March 2010.

Oloruntoba said that the accused forged a Certificate of Occupancy No. 46/46/1990K dated July 6, 1990, and fraudulently presented it to one Mr. Mike Temuagbor as genuine.

He said that the accused obtained N43 million from Mr. Temuagbor, under a false pretence to sell to him the landed property located at Block 64, plot 10, Fola Osibor Lekki, Lagos.

“The accused, therefore, stole from Temuagbor the sum of N43 million under false pretence of selling a property to him” the prosecutor alleged.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened Sections 390(9), 419, 467, 468 and 516 of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State.