IGP Egbetokun
Operatives of Force Criminal Investigation Department ForceCID Annex Alagbon-Ikoyi Lagos, have arraigned a trader at Trade Fair Complex, Lagos, Ejike Maduabuchi Samuel, before a Federal High Court, Lagos, over alleged conspiracy, Obtaining by false pretence and fraudulent sale of land for the sum of N25 million.
The trader, Ejike Madubuchi Samuel, was arraigned on the alleged offences by the court presided over by Justice Ibrahim Ahmad Kala, in a charge marked FHC/L/65c/2026.
The defendant, according to the prosecutor , Barrister A. O. Okunuga, committed the alleged offences sometime in August 2021, at Shop 10, Ondo Plaza, Trade Fair Complex, off Badagry Expressway, Lagos State.
Barrister Okunuga told the court that defendants and others said to be at large allegedly obtained the sum of N25,000,000 from the tro of Mr. Chuks Onwughalu, Mr. Anthony Onwughalu, and Mr. Emmanuel Onwughalu, with false pretence of selling plots of land purportedly located in Anambra State, to them.
The defendant was also accused of fraudulently converted the N25 million to his personal use under the guise of facilitating the land transaction.
The offences according to the prosecutor are contrary under Section 516; 419 and 383(1) and (2) and punishable under section 390(6) and (9) of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The defendant denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges
Based on his guilty plea, the prosecutor asked for trial date, and also prayed the court to remand the defendant pending the determination of the charge.
However, his lawyer pleaded with the court for short date to enable him filed his client’s bail application.
Meanwhile, Justice Kalahas adjourned the matter to March 12, for trial, but ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services NCoS pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.
Charges against the defendant reads: “That you Ejike Maduabuchi Samuel “M and others now at large, sometimes in the month of August 2021 at Shop 10, Ondo Plaza, Trade Fair Complex off Badagry Express Way, Lagos State , within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire amongst yourselves to commit a felony to wit: obtaining by false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Cap F38,LFN,2004
“That you Ejike Maduabuchi Samuel ‘M’ and others now at large. sometimes in the month of August 2021 at Shop 10, Ondo Plaza, Trade Fair Complex off Badagry Express Way, Lagos State, Within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did fraudulently Obtain Mr Chuks Onwughalu, Mr Anthony Onwughalu and Mr Emmanuel Onwughalu sum of N25,000, 000 (Twenty Five Million Naira) under the pretext. to sell plots of land situate and lying at Anambra State, the representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence thereby committed an offence contrary and: punishable under Section 419 of the Criminal Code CAP E38, LFN, 2004
“That you EJIKE MADUBUCHI SAMUEL ‘M’ and others now at large, sometimes in the month of August 2021 at Shop 10, Ondo Plaza; Trade Fair
Complex off Badagry Express Way, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did fraudulently and unlawfully convert the sum of N25,000,000 (Twenty Five Million Naira) to your personal use under the disguise of selling a parcel of land situate and lying at Anambra State to Mr Chuks Onwughalu, Mr Anthony Onwughalu and Mr Emmanuel Onwughalu, the representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 383 (1) & (2) and punishable under Section 390{ 6) & (9) of the Criminal Code Act, CAP C 38 LFN, 2024.”
