Lawyer arraigned over alleged N86m land document fraud

An Abuja-based lawyer, Suleiman Musa, was on Friday arraigned in a Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates’ Court, for allegedly defrauding a man of N86 million. Musa was arraigned alongside an estate agent, David Oluyemi, for allegedly defrauding their victim on the pretext of processing documents for his landed property at Lugbe, FCT. Musa, a resident […]

An Abuja-based lawyer, Suleiman Musa, was on Friday arraigned in a Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates’ Court, for allegedly defrauding a man of N86 million.
Musa was arraigned alongside an estate agent, David Oluyemi, for allegedly defrauding their victim on the pretext of processing documents for his landed property at Lugbe, FCT.
Musa, a resident of Federal Housing Lugbe, Abuja, and Oluyemi, a resident of Kubwa, Abuja, were charged with criminal conspiracy, breach of trust and cheating.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to the three-count-charge.
The defendants were alleged to have impersonated staff of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) in carrying out the alleged crime.
The prosecution counsel, Gabriel Jumma, said the defendants deceived their victims that they were in a position to process the documents for his 30-hectare land located at Lugbe, Abuja.
He told the court that an official of the Department of Development Control, Abuja, Mr Vincent Keleb, reported the case on Nov. 13 in a petition to the Zone 7, Police Command.
Jumma said that the complainant paid N86 million in four installment between October 2014 and July 2014 into Oluyemi’s bank account.
“The complainant, while waiting for the land documents, found out through the Abuja Geographical Information Systems (AGIS), that the duo had deceived him and that there was no such land.’’
Jumma said the offences contravened sections 97, 312 and 322 of the Penal Code, Laws of the Federation.
The magistrate, Teribo Zimzu, granted bail to the duo in the sum of N2 million each with a surety each in like sum. Zimzu said the sureties should reside within the court’s jurisdiction.
The magistrate adjourned the case till December 16 for hearing.