Man, 43, Docked over Alleged N566,000 Land Fraud

A 43-year-old man, Segun Okepemu, was on Friday arraigned before a Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos over an alleged N566,000 land fraud.

The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the defendant, of no fixed residential address, is facing a two-count charge of fraud and breach of peace to which he pleaded not guilty.

The Police Prosecutor, ASP Nkem Ukor, told the court that the defendant committed the offences in 2012 at Zunuch Whesumme via Ilogbo-Eremi area of Badagry, Lagos.

Ukor said that the defendant allegedly obtained the N566, 000 from one Philip Israel under the pretence of using the money to buy a plot of land for the complainant, which he never did.

He said the defendant conducted himself in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by reselling the same land to another person after the complainant had planted cocoyam, yam, cassava and pineapple on the land.

According to him, the offences contravened Sections 314 and 168 of the Criminal law of Lagos State, 2015.

The Chief Magistrate, Patrick Adekomaiya, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Adekomaiya said the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction with evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

The chief magistrate adjourned the case till October11 for mention.