The Nation Newspaper

Tag: agent

  • Agent charged with N15m fraud

    An investment agent, Odia Joseph Okobiemen, who allegedly defrauded a cooperative society of N15 million, on the pretext of investing it in an agriculture scheme, has been brought before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court.

    Okobiemen, 43, who was arraigned by the Police Special Fraud Unit (SFU), Ikoyi, Lagos, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge of stealing and obtaining under false pretence before Chief Magistrate O. Aloba.

    Prosecuting counsel Morufu Animashaun alleged that the defendant committed the offence in May 2018, at 2, C&I Leasing House Leasing Drive, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

    Animashaun said Okobiemen approached the complainant, C&I Leasing Staff Cooperative Multipurpose Society and cajoled it to invest in an agricultural scheme, which he knew did not exist.

    “The society gave him N15m for the scheme, but the defendant allegedly became evasive soon afterwards and fled.

    “It took detectives months before the defendant was apprehended,” Animashaun said.

    Chief Magistrate Aloba granted him N500,000 bail, with two employed sureties in the like sum, among other conditions.

    He adjourned till June 10.

  • Agent steals landlord’s N250,000

    A 68-year-old estate agent, Raheem Oyebo, yesterday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly defrauding a house seeker of N250, 000.

    Oyebo, who, lives in Agege, was said to have failed to remit the amount into the landlady’s account.

    He pleaded not guilty.

    Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ezekiel Ayorinde alleged that the accused committed the offence on December 6 at Iju-Ishaga, Lagos.

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    He alleged that the accused stole N250,000 belonging to the complainant, Mrs. Taiwo Olaofe.

    “The accused collected the money from the complainant and converted it to his use,” Ayorinde said.

    He said the case was reported at the police station and the accused was arrested.

    The offence contravenes Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    Magistrate B.O. Osunsanmi granted the accused N100, 000 bail, with two sureties in the like sum.

    She said the sureties should be employed and show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    The case continues on January 21.

     

  • Agent ‘dupes’ lover of N5m

    A 35-year-old estate agent, Gbeminiyi Babajide, was yesterday arraigned at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly defrauding his estranged lover of N5 million on the pretext of investing it in a business,

    Prosecutor Michael Unah alleged that the accused collected N5million from Oluwaseun Giwa on the pretext of helping her to invest it in business.

    He said the accused committed the offence between 2014 and 2016 at Surulere, Lagos Mainland.

    Unah alleged that the complainant transferred the N5 million, which she intended to use to open a supermarket into the account of the accused in order to keep it for her.

    “The complainant entrusted the N5 million to the accused while they were in a relationship.

    “The accused converted the money to his use without the complainant’s consent, after they had gone their separate ways.

    “Efforts to recover the money proved abortive, as the accused resorted to threatening her whenever she asked for the money,” he said.

    The accused pleaded no guilty.

    Read also: Illegal possession of firearms: Court frees Small Doctor

    Chief Magistrate A. A. Fashola granted him N250, 000 bail with two sureties in the like sum.

    He said the sureties must be employed, with evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government and their addresses verified.

    The sureties, he added, must live within the court’s jurisdiction.

    The case continues on January 30.

     

  • Agent in trouble

    An estate agent, Adeyemi Ademola, who allegedly defrauded five prospective tenants of N19.6 million, under the guise of renting shops to them at a shopping complex, has appeared at an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

    Ademola, 46, whose address was not provided, is facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, fraud and stealing.

    The prosecutor, Francis Igbinosa, told the court that the accused committed the offences at Richland Mall and Event Centre, Lekki-Ajah Expressway, Lagos, between March 28 and April 4.

    He alleged that the accused fraudulently obtained N19.6 million from the victims on the pretence of renting out uncompleted shops to them without the consent of the owner (the complainant), Otunba Ajose.

    Igbinosa named those the accused collected the money from as Kenneth Okpaise, Ibenye Emmanuel, Abieyina Jaja, Onyewuchi Obani and Ijeoma Eze.

    He said the accused conducted himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of public peace by parading himself as an estate agent of the shopping complex without consent of the owner.

    The offences contravene sections 168 (d), 287, 314 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The accused pleaded not guilty.

    The Magistrate, Mrs. O. Kusanu, granted the “estate agent” bail at N500,000 with two sureties.

    She said they must be tax payers, adding that their addresses must be verified by the court.

    Kusanu adjourned the case till December 11 for mention.

  • Estate agent arraigned for ‘N5.3m fraud’

    An estate agent, Lekan Olamide, was at the weekend arraigned at an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly defrauding 31 accommodation seekers of N5.3 million.

    Olamide, 35, whose address was not given, is standing trial on a 31-count charge, bordering on conspiracy and fraud.

    The prosecutor, Friday Mameh, told the court that the accused committed the offences between January and July at 7, Mogbotoluwa Street, Egbeda, a Lagos suburb.

    He said the accused obtained N5.3 million from the accommodation seekers “on the pretext that you have an apartment to rent, a fact you knew to be false.”

    Mameh said the accused and others at large obtained amounts ranging from N45,000 to N700, 000.

    He said the offences contravened sections 312 (a) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The accused pleaded not guilty.

    The Magistrate, Mr. B. A. Sonuga, granted Olamide bail at N2million with two sureties in like sum.

    He said the sureties must be managers of banks on Lagos Island and must show letters of appointment and confirmation.

    The magistrate said the sureties must submit their passports, show evidence of tax payments to the government and have their addresses verified.

    Sonuga adjourned the case till September 12 for mention.

     

  • Sheriff is an agent in PDP, says Fayose

    Sheriff is an agent in PDP, says Fayose

    Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose yesterday described the factional Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, as an agent in the opposition party.

    He said the former governor of Borno State has been working with external forces to divide and destabilise the party.

    Fayose told reporters in Lagos that efforts to forge unity in the fold have been truncated by Sheriff, who he likened his case to a woman in a romantic affair with another man other than her husband.

    He said a peace meeting hosted by Gombe State Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo to resolve the protracted leadership crisis failed to restore peace because Sheriff was indifferent.

    Fayose said: “Sheriff is an agent. When a lady’s  heart is with another man, there is no magic the husband can perform.”

    The governor spoke on the state of the nation, particularly the killings in Southern Kaduna, saying that they were despicable.

    He said his heart melted, following reports about the inhumanity of man to man, lamenting that no one has been arrested and brought to book for the violence.

    Fayose said it was worrisome that people were lined up to be killed and residents were displaced from towns and villages.

    The governor lamented that what happened in the past were being repeated, pointing out that human rights abuses and desecration of the ballot box have continued unabated.

    Fayose vowed to intensify his criticism of the Buhari government, saying that he took up the patriotic assignment in the national interest.

    He said: “Threats of incarceration and death would not deter me from fighting the cause of justice. If I die, life has been kind to me. But, I will not die a coward.”

    Urging Nigerians to desist from the culture of silence, Fayose added: “There is the need for us to stand up for something in the society.”

    The governor chided the Federal Government for a doubtful empowerment scheme marred by hypocritical implementation.

    He said the All Progressives Congress (APC) has failed to fulfil its promise of change in the last 18 months.

    Fayose also said the victory of soldiers over the terrorists in Sambisa forest should be viewed with suspicion and reservation. He said it is easy to manufacture flags and bring the holy book from anywhere and camouflage them as the property of the Boko Haram sect.

  • Agent, son charged with attempted murder, demolishing 43 houses

    Agent, son charged with attempted murder, demolishing 43 houses

    The police Force Investigation and Intelligence Bureau (FIIB), Abuja, has charged an Estate Agent Owoeye Mutairu and his son Ganiyu with invading 15 villages in Oko-Olomi Community, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos with armed thugs and demolishing 43 homes belonging to the residents.

    Mutairu, 67, of KM 36, Abeokuta Expressway, Ogun State and Olorunkemi, 42, of 5, Owoeye Street, Sango Ota, Atan Local Government, Ogun State, were arraigned yesterday before Mrs A. O. Awogboro of an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

    The police said the Owoeyes and others at large, invaded the 1561 hectares-sized community with guns with which they scared the residents away and heavy machinery with which they destroyed ‘different types of buildings.’

    According to the six-count charge pressed against them, they allegedly committed the offences on April 17.

    The defendants were accused of stealing 150 cows, a Pathfinder Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) valued at N2.5million, one Xtera SUV valued at N3.5million, a Toyota Camry car valued at N1million all properties of one Miniru Salia.

    Ganiyu was also alleged to have unlawfully attempted to kill one Saheed Oloore by shooting at him.

    The police also alleged that on October 14, at about 10am at Oko Olomi, it recovered from Ganiyu’s possession three pump action guns with Nos. 2856, 8976, 2598 and a double barrelled gun with two live cartridges.

    The alleged offences are punishable under Sections 409, 56, 285, 348, 228 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos 2011 and Sections ?27 (1) (a) (i) of the Firearms Act, Cap F28, F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    Defence counsel Mr A. O. Isaacs urged the court to grant the defendants bail on liberal terms, since none of the offences attracted the capital punishment.

    He said the defendants had been in detention in Abuja since Tuesday last week and were brought to Lagos by the police by road, adding that the defendants had brought development to Oko-Olomi and owned property worth N400million in the community.

    Prosecuting Superintendent of Police Kehinde Oluwole opposed the bail application on the grounds that the case was still under investigation.

    Ruling, Magistrate Awogboro held: “The prosecution’s objection to bail is overruled because the offences are bailable. The defendants are hereby granted bail in the sum of N2million, with two responsible sureties who are to produce evidence of substantial means of livelihood. One of the sureties must be a blood relation.”

    The case was adjourned till December 15.

  • Agent ‘bolts’ with accommodation seeker’s N440,000

    A 48-year-old estate agent, Ayo Adegoke, who allegedly absconded with N400,000 belonging to an accommodation seeker, was yesterday brought before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

    Adegoke is being tried on a two-count charge of fraud and stealing.

    Prosecuting Inspector Essien Ndarake said the accused committed the offence on May 8 at Dopemu Road, Agege, Lagos.

    He said the accused fraudulently obtained N440, 000 from one Mrs Glady Mersis, under the pretence of helping her to secure a self-contained room and parlour.

    “The accused collected the money from the complainant to help her get an apartment,’’ he said. The complainant approached the accused who claimed he was an estate agent for accommodation. The accused showed the complainant a vacant room and parlour self-contained and the complainant paid for the rent. After payment, the accused was nowhere to be found.

    “The complainant went to the apartment the accused showed him but discovered that the accused was not in charge of the vacant apartment,’’ Ndarake said.

    The prosecutor said efforts made by the complainant to retrieve her money proved unsuccessful as the accused refused to pick the complainant’s calls.

    The accused pleaded innocence of the offences and the Magistrate E. Kubeinje granted him N50, 000 bail with one surety in like sum.

    The case was adjourned till June 23, for mention.

  • Agent raises the alarm on Lekki land

    An estate agent, Alhaji Mutairu Owoeye, has raised the alarm over encroachment on hectares of land on Lakowe Village, Ibeju Lekki, by “unknown persons.”

    Owoeye, who spoke with reporters on Saturday in Lagos, urged people interested in buying the land to ensure they patronised genuine owners.

    He said an interested party, Golf Company, approached him as an estate to work on the land.

    Owoeye said before he accepted the offer, he verified the firm’s claims of the company and confirm that all the papers presented to him were genuine.

    He said: “On the land issue, government gave some people and Golf the land.  I am working for the company. They have their Certificate of Occupancy on the land, they have every document that backs up the property.

    “It was Golf Company which contracted my company to work on the land because some people have encroached on it. Immediately they briefed us about the state of the property, we wrote a petition to the police to stop the trespassers. After we achieved this, we went ahead to verify their claims including the court enrolment order and discovered that everything is genuine.”

  • Estate agent docked for alleged fraud

    A 42-year-old real estate agent, Ramoni Azeez, has been arraigned in a Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ikorodu, Lagos State, for allegedly obtaining N301,000 to secure the same apartment for five persons.

    Azeez, who is facing a five-count charge bothering on stealing, was alleged to have separately obtained the money from five persons at different times and dates with a promise to secure each of them the same one-room apartment at the Odonla Area of Ikorodu.

    The prosecutor, Corporal Kemi Adeniran, told the court that Azeez committed the offence in the months of February, May, and August this year in Ikorodu.

    “On August 27 at Odonla area of Ikorodu, the accused collected the sum of N120,000 from one Edward Aladenusi under the pretext of securing a one-room self-contained apartment from him, which he failed to do,” the prosecutor said.

    She added: “Earlier in May 2015, the accused obtained N45,000 and N30,000 respectively from two other persons; Abel Yakubu and Morgan Moses, under the pretext of securing them a one-room apartment.

    “Before that time he had collected another N70,000 and N30,000 from one Ronke Jolomi and Olufemi Joshua in February, 2015, but failed to secure the one-room apartment for them.”

    The fifth count on the charge sheet states: “That you, Ramoni Azeez, on different dates and times, did steal a total of N301,000 only, property of Edward Aladenusi, Abel Yakubu, Morgan Moses, Ronke Jolomi and Olufemi Joshua.”

    The prosecutor told the court that the offences contravened Sections 312 and 285 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.

    However, Azeez denied the charges and was granted bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in the like sum.

    The Magistrate, Mrs. A. Oshodi-Makanju, adjourned the case till October 29.