Businessman in court over alleged land fraud

A 55-year-old man, Abdulaziz Sheid, was on Tuesday arraigned in a Karu Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, over alleged land fraud.

The defendant, who resides at Jikwoyi, Abuja, is standing trial on a four-count charge of criminal breach of trust, cheating, criminal misappropriation and disobedience to an order of a public servant.

The prosecutor, Ayotunde Adeyanju, told the court that one Adeneye Afeez of Karu, Abuja, reported the matter at the Karu Police Station, Abuja, on June 4, 2018.

“The complainant alleged that sometime in June 2017, the defendant deceitfully sold a plot of land located at Karu village Extension, Abuja to him with an agreed price of N1.4m.

“The defendant collected N300,000 from him as part payment with the agreement that he would pay the balance of N1.1million after the land has been verified.

“But with intent to cheat the complainant, Sheid refused to give the money to the original owner of the land, instead dishonestly converted the said amount (N300,000) into his personal use.

ALSO READ: I won’t cede any land in Ibarapa for ranching, Makinde assures Eleruwa

“As a result, the original owner sold the same land to another buyer and in the course of police investigation, the defendant was released on administrative bail to report back to the police.

“However, the defendant jumped bail three times until he was tracked and arrested through electronic tracking device,” Adeyanju said.

The prosecutor said that during the police investigation, the defendant confessed to the crime.

“He said he used the money collected from the complainant to celebrate his daughter’s wedding,’’ the prosecutor said.

According to him, the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 312, 322, 309 and136 of the Penal Code.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The judge, Sani Mohammed, granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N1.5million with two sureties in like sum.

The case was adjourned until February 11, for hearing.