Welder, 4 Others Docked

Detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria, have arraigned a welder and four others before the Ebute-Metta Magistrate’s Court, Lagos for allegedly planting charms on a man’s land.

The welder, Muraina Oyinloye, 41, Kolawole Semiu, 18, Ramon Gbadamosi, 20, Ganiyu Olanrewaju, 37 and Abiodun Abdul-Jabar, 30, were alleged to have planted the charm in an attempt to claim ownership of the land, situated on 29, Adekunle Banjo Street, Magodo, Shangisha, Ketu, Lagos State. The land belongs to the late Banjo Osman Ayoola.

Investigations revealed that the accused falsely swore an oath before the Lagos High Court, Ikeja and forged a letter of re-location dated 23 September, 2009 and 23 March, 2010, respectively, that the widow of the land owner, Mrs. Abiola Jumoke Banjo, had divorced the deceased before he died and that they were directed to sell the land.

They were arraigned on a seven-count charge, which, according to the prosecuting police officer, Sergeant Sam Omoyemi, were punishable under Sections 516,118, 467 (2)(d)(e) 81, 516, 213 and 467 (2) (d) (e) of the Criminal Code, Cap. C.17, Vol.2, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003.

Count two of the offences reads: “That you, Muraina Oyinloye, Kolawole Semiu, Ramon Gbadamosi, Ganiyu Olanrewaju, Abiodun Abdul-Jabar and others now at large, on 9 July, 2010, at about 12 noon, at 29, Adekunle Banjo Street, Magodo, Shangisha, Lagos in the Lagos Magisterial District, with intent to defraud did knowingly made false testimony on oath in paragraphs 45 and 6 of the affidavit deposed at the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja, dated 23 September, 2009, to the effect that Mrs. Biola Jumoke Ayoola, divorced her husband, Banjo Osman Ayoola, several years before his death and that late Banjo Osman Ayoola instructed you to sell his partially developed landed property at 29, Adekunle Banjo Street, Magodo, Shangisha, Ketu, Lagos State, a representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 117 and punishable under Section 118 of the Criminal Code, Cap. C.17, Vol. 2, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003.”

Count seven of the offences reads: “That you, Muraina Oyinloye, Kolawole Semiu, Ramon Gbadamosi, Ganiyu Olanrewaju, Abiodun Abdul-Jabar and others now at large, on 9 July, 2010, at about 12 noon, at 29, Adekunle Banjo Street, Magodo, Shangisha, Lagos in the Lagos Magisterial District, did unlawfully had in your possession four wraps of fetish objects suspected to be charms, which you planted on a piece of land belonging to one Banjo Osman Ayoola, without lawful and reasonable excuse and with intent to cause harm to the lawful owners of the land as to enable you acquire the land fraudulently and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 213 (b)of the Criminal Code, Cap. C.17, Vol. 2, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003.”

The five defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges and the court magistrate, Mr. M. O. Olubi, granted them bail in the sum of N100,000, with two sureties each and adjourned the case till 23 March, 2011, for trial.

—Paul Sanusi/Abosede Agboola

  Copyright protected by Digiprove © 2011 P.M.News