2 men docked for alleged land scam

A technical personnel, Kareem Rasheed, and an estate agent, Jacob Ekpenyong, were on Tuesday docked before an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court, Lagos State, for forgery, stealing and forcible possession of a piece of land.

The police charged Rasheed, 27, and Ekpenyoung, 55, with stealing, forgery, forcible entry and forcible possession.

The residents of Oworonshoki and Bariga, respectively, however, pleaded not guilty.

The prosecutor, Insp Donjour Perezi, told the court that the defendants committed the offences in January and April.

Perezi said, “The defendants fraudulently and deceptively sold a piece of land valued at N10 million and measuring approximately 30ft x 85ft and situated on Prince Arias Eshinlokun Street, Ilaje, Bariga Lagos State.”

Pereze said that he land belonged to one Mrs Janet Ojeikere.

He said that the duo also stole 470 solid blocks, 20 tonnes of granite and several trips of sharp sand worth three million Naira.

“On April 25, Rasheed, with an intention to defraud, did knowingly make false documents by providing false information to forcibly possess the piece of land belonging to Mrs Janet Ojeikere.

“Rasheed went to the above-mentioned address, where the land is situated, and forcibly entered it to claim possession,” Perezi said.

He told the court that Ojeikere, the complainant, had bought the piece of land and had begun developing in it, as the German floor was already completed.

“She had a total of 479 blocks and some sharp sand on the land, and her workers were waiting for supply of cement and rods to continue their work before she got to know that Mr Rasheed had stolen her building materials.

“She met with him physically to confront him; then, he threatened to beat her up as he claimed to have bought the land from one Mrs Chioma Frank and her agent, Ekpenyong, who is the second defendant,” he submitted.

The alleged offences contravene the provisions of Sections 52, 53, 287, 365(1) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Forgery is punishable with three years’ imprisonment in line with Section 365.

The Magistrate, Mrs M.O. Tanimola, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N500,000 each with two sureties in like sum.

Tanimola ordered that the sureties must provide valid identification cards and certified bank statements of account as well as have their addresses verified by the court.

She adjourned the case until July 28 for hearing.