The Police on Tuesday arraigned a 54-year-old man, Chief Oke Toso, before a Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, over alleged N1,500,000 land fraud.
The defendant, whose address is unknown, is being charged with fraud, conversion and breach of peace, to which he, however, pleaded not guilty.
The Prosecutor, ASP Edet Ekpo, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on Oct. 22, 2011 at about 11.00 a.m. at Ghegetho Compound, Erekiti, Badagry, Lagos.
Ekpo said that the defendant fraudulently collected the sum of N1,500,000 from one Mrs Rashidat Taiwo, the complainant, under the pretence of buying her six-and-a-half plots of land, which he did not.
“The defendant stole the money by converting it to his own use without the consent of the complainant.
“The defendant conducted himself in a manner likely to cause the breach of peace by obtaining the money from her,” he said.
The offences, according to him, contravene Sections 314, 287 and 168 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2015.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr Nurudeen Layeni, granted the defendant bail in the sum N500,000, with two sureties each in the like sum.
He said that one of the sureties must be a community leader.
Layeni adjourned the case till March 9 for mention.
