…Defendants Plead Not Guilty, Get ₦500,000 Bail Each
The Abuja Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned three men and two companies before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama, Abuja, over an alleged ₦23 million land fraud.
The defendants are Paul Olufemi Ogunlana, Olaniyi Rufai, Dauda Bashir, Unified Luxury Homes Limited and Utopian Planning Ltd.
They were arraigned before Justice Ngozika C. Nwabulu on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing by conversion and obtaining money by false pretence.
The EFCC alleged that the defendants defrauded Lucky U. Odigie of ₦23 million after allegedly presenting themselves as owners or authorised sellers of a parcel of land measuring about 2.2 hectares at Gausa District, off Airport Road, Abuja.
According to the anti-graft agency, the defendants approached Odigie with a purported Power of Attorney authorising them to sell the property.
The petitioner allegedly paid the ₦23 million after being assured that the land belonged to the defendants and was available for sale.
However, the EFCC alleged that the representation was false and that the defendants had no legitimate authority to sell the property.
One of the counts alleged that the defendants, sometime in 2023 within the Abuja jurisdiction, agreed to obtain the sum of ₦23 million from Odigie under the false pretence that they had authority to sell the land.
The second count alleged that the defendants obtained the same amount with intent to defraud, falsely representing that the 2.2-hectare parcel belonged to them and was available for sale.
When the charges were read to them, the defendants pleaded not guilty.
Following their pleas, prosecution counsel, Mariya Ujudud Sheriff, urged the court to allow the trial to commence.
The defendants were represented by different counsel. Osaretin A. Uwangue appeared for the first and fourth defendants, S. O. Yahaya represented the second defendant, while Najib Adamu represented the third and fifth defendants.
All the defence counsel subsequently filed applications seeking bail for their clients.
After hearing the submissions, Justice Nwabulu granted the defendants bail in the sum of ₦500,000 each, with one surety each in the same amount.
The judge directed that the sureties must be civil servants not below Grade Level 12.
The court thereafter adjourned the matter until September 22, 2026, for commencement of trial proceedings.
