The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has re-arraigned a 73-year old man, allegedly notorious for land grabbing, Murtala Adebayo, before Justice Rahman Oshodi of Special Offences Court, sitting in Ikeja, Lagos for alleged N19 million fraud.
Adebayo, popularly known as Oloriebi of Ajaland, was arraigned before Justice Mojisola Dada on 24 January 2024 on a three-count charge.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Court granted him bail on 12 February, 2024.
The matter subsequently entered full trial.
The defendant, who took his plea in the Yoruba Language, pleaded “not guilty” to the three count charge preferred against him.
The prosecuting counsel, Sa’adatu Yabo, prayed the court for a trial date.
But the defendant’s counsel, Bamidele Ogundele, urged the court to allow the defendant to enjoy bail earlier granted him before Justice Dada.
The nominal complainant’s lawyer, Martins Oyigbo, addressed the court in response to the defendant’s plea to adopt previous bail conditions granted to the defendant by Justice Dada.
After listening to their submission, Justice Oshodi granted bail to defendant on existing bail conditions granted to him by Justice Dada on February 12, 2024.
Defendant was granted bail in the sum of Five Million Naira with one surety in like sum and a lien of Five Million Naira placed on surety personal account.
The Court added that surety must enrol in surety registration management.
There court, thereafter, ruled that the Deputy Registrar must verify all the documents and ensure compliance within fourteen days.
The Court adjourned the matter to 7 March, 2025, for trial.
One of the counts reads: “Murtala Adebayo, sometime in 2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N4,500,000 (Four Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira) from one Gafar Abiodun Ademolake by falsely representing to him that the payment was for three plots of land at Ogombo Ajah, Lagos, which representation you knew to be false.”
Another count reads: “Murtala Adebayo, sometime in 2019 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained three cars, two Toyota Camry 2005 model and one Honda Accord 2006 model all at an agreed value of N9,000,000.00 from one Gafar Abiodun Ademolake by falsely representing to him that the payment was for balance payment of 18 plots of land at Ayogbemi Village, Ibeju, Lekki, Lagos, a representation you knew to be false.”
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