Doctor Loses N5m To Land Agents

Police at Lion Building Division, Campbell Street, Lagos Island, southwest Nigeria, have arrested a suspected land speculator, Amusa Suleiman Ishola, 32, for allegedly conniving with three others now at large to obtain N5 million from a medical doctor, Njoku Obiageli, under false pretence.

He was alleged to have tricked the woman along with his accomplices to part with her money on the pretence of selling a parcel of land to her at  Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, a claim he knew to be false.

After investigation by Inspector Gboyega Oludare and his team, the suspect was charged before a Tinubu Magistrate’s court on a three-count charge of felony, to wit, forgery and stealing.

The police prosecutor, Supol. A. C. Orji, told the court that the accused was arrested following a complaint by Dr. Njoku Obiageli that the accused and others, namely Ojuolape  a.k.a. Oju, Adewale and Olumide now at large, tricked her and collected N5 million from her to sell a parcel of land to her at Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos.

In her statement to the police, the complainant alleged that “Ojuolape a.k.a. Oju approached me that he was a security man attached to a palace in Ikoyi, Lagos and that he has a land to sell at Parkview Estate, First Gate, Ikoyi, Lagos for N200 million.

“We later settled for N20 million after I inspected the land with him, Adewale and Olumide and paid them the sum of N5 million as part payment through account number 2041061022 belonging to the accused at UBA, Marina, Lagos branch for them to process the certificate of occupancy C of O according to their claims.

“After paying them the money, they started telling me different stories and prevented me from taking possession of the land before I reported the matter to the police.”

In his own defence, Suleiman, a resident of  5, Bajulaiye Lane, Isale Eko, Lagos Island, allegedly confessed that N5 million was paid into his account through Adewale, his friend but that he did not know what the money was meant for.

“ Adewale later gave me the sum of N500,000 for providing my account for him to receive the N5 million from his brother in Europe, and I sent N300,000 to my relatives in Ilorin, Kwara State, to help me purchase two motorcycles for commercial use and used the remaining to buy clothes and enjoy myself,” he allegedly confessed to the police.

The prosecutor said the offences the accused committed are punishable under sections 409, 363 and 285(7) of the criminal laws of Lagos, 2011.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges, and Chief Magistrate O. M. Ajayi admitted him on bail in the sum of N400,000 with two sureties in like sum. One of the sureties must be a blood relation.

She adjourned the matter till 2 September, 2013 for mention. The defendant was, however, moved to Ikoyi Prisons when he could not fulfill the bail conditions before the court closed for the day.

—Paul Iyoghojie