Lawyer, 2 Others Remanded In Kirikiri Prison For N155m Fraud
Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on Monday remanded a legal practitioner, Idowu Adebayo Michael, Mukaila Fakos and Rasaq Sefiu Adesina in Kirikiri Prisons over their alleged involvement in a N155 million fraud.
Justice Oshodi made the order after they pleaded not guilty to a 11 count charge of conspiracy to effect an unlawful purpose, fraudulent disposal of trust property, stealing, obtaining money by false pretence, forgery and uttering of false document preferred against them by the police.
According to the police, the defendants were said to have conspired among themselves sometimes in 2009 to unlawfully unauthorised the sale of property located at No 2, Kayode Taiwo street, Magodo, Lagos without lawful permission or consent.
The police also alleged that Engineer Adesina and Fakos sold the landed property to Barrister Idowu Adebayo Michael for N35 million and fraudulently converted the money to their own use and benefit.
Part of the charge read that, ‘Mukaila Fakos, Engr. Rasak Sefiu Adesina, Barrister Idowu Adebayo Michael, Babatunde Smith (at large) and Adigun Smith (at large), sometimes in 2010 in Ikeja conspired to obtain the sum of N120 million from one Lanre Obiesan by false pretence when you know you were not authorised to do so by the true owners unlawful sale of Mr Idowu Musiliu Ololape Balogun and Musbal Nig. Ltd’s property to him.”
The prosecution also alleged that the defendants obtained N120million from Obiesan by falsely representing to him that they were authorised to sell land property at No 5c Micheal Ogun Street, GRA, Ikeja.
Also, they were alleged to have forged document titled; “Special Resolution of Musbal Nig. Ltd” dated December 8, 2010.
“Form CAC 7” and “Consent Letter by Ayoola Fakos” and uttered false document to Guarantee Trust Bank through its member staff to act upon as genuine.
After their plea were taken, the prosecution counsel, Emmanuel Jackson urged the court for a short adjournment for trial and prayed the court to remand the defendants.
However, defendants counsel, Lawal Pedro (SAN) in his response told court that the 3rd defendant (Barr Michael) had filed application for bail.
The trial judge thereafter adjourned hearing of bail application till February 26, 2018 and ordered them to be remanded in prison custody.