Land fraud in Lagos: Man sentenced to eight years, ordered to repay N62 million

• A Lagos State High Court has sentenced Abodurin Gerald Abozo to eight years imprisonment for defrauding Engineer Samuel Segher of N62 million under the guise of selling land
• Justice I.O. Ijelu delivered the verdict, ordering Abozo to make full restitution to the victim
• The conviction highlights the judiciary's commitment to tackling fraud and protecting citizens' rights

In a landmark ruling, Justice I.O. Ijelu of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja sentenced Abodurin Gerald Abozo to eight years imprisonment for land fraud on Wednesday, October 2, 2024.

The conviction marks the end of a protracted legal battle that began with Abozo's arraignment on October 15, 2023.

Lagos court gives out 8-year sentence to man land fraud. Photo credit: Legit Nigeria
Source: Original

Abozo faced a two-count charge: obtaining money by false pretence, in violation of Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and stealing, contrary to Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

Abozo in N62 million land fraud case in Lagos

The first count detailed how Abozo, operating under the guise of S.G.B. & As Property Lines Company, defrauded Engineer Samuel Segher of N62,000,000.00 (Sixty-two Million Naira) in 2013.

Abozo falsely claimed to have two plots of land for sale at Chevy Estate Ojomu Chieftaincy Family land, Lagos, a representation he knew to be false. The charge read: “Abodurin Gerald Abozos (doing business in the name and style of S.G.B. & As Property Lines Company), sometime in 2013 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N62,000,000.00 (Sixty-two Million Naira) from Engineer Samuel Segher, under the false pretext, that you have two plots of land for sale at Chevy Estate Ojomu Chieftaincy Family land, Lagos, and the said amount represented the purchase price, a representation you knew to be false.”

The second count accused Abozo of dishonestly converting the N62,000,000.00 to his own use. The charge read: “Abodurin Gerald Abozos, (doing business in the name and style of S.G.B. & A Property Lines Company), sometime in 2013 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly converted to your use the aggregate sum of N62,000,000.00 (Sixty-two Million Naira), property of Engineer Samuel Segher".

Lagos high court convicts man of N62 million

Despite pleading “not guilty,” Abozo was found guilty after a full trial. Prosecution counsel M. S. Owede presented two witnesses and several documents, including Abozo's extra-judicial statement, which were admitted as evidence.

Justice Ijelu sentenced Abozo to seven years imprisonment on the first count and one year on the second count, with no option of fine. Additionally, the court ordered Abozo to make restitution of N62 million to the victim.

Abozo’s fraudulent activities came to light when he failed to deliver the promised land or return the money to Engineer Segher, leading to his arrest and subsequent trial. His conviction showed the judiciary's commitment to combating fraud and protecting the rights of citizens.

EFCC arrests, arraigns another top govt ex-official

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja has arrested and arraigned Kayode Odeyemi, a former deputy comptroller of correctional service before a high court in Bwari, Abuja.

According to EFCC's director of media and publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, Odeyemi was arraigned for crimes bordering on land fraud, The Punch reports.

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Source: Legit.ng