3 businessmen face N1.6m land fraud charge

Three businessmen were on Monday brought before a Wuse Zone 2 Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, over alleged N1.66 million land fraud.

The accused – Francis Idoko, 46; Ibrahim Mohammed,42; and Hassan Maigizoh, 44 -- all residents of Kubwa, Abuja, are facing a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and cheating.

The prosecutor, DSP Yusuf Auta, told the court that the complainant, Mr Greg Chijioke of Suite 9, Shopping Complex, Wuse Zone 3, wrote a petition to the AIG in charge of Zone 7 on Nov.16, 2012.

Auta said sometimes in 2011, the three accused conspired and collected the sum of N1.66 million from the complainant.

According to him, the accused collected the money under the pretext of securing a plot of land in Abuja for him.

The offences contravened the provisions of Sections 97, 312 and 322 of the Penal Code. The accused pleaded not guilty.

The Magistrate, Mr Aliyu Shafa, granted them bail in the sum of N300,000 each with a surety each in like sum.

Shafa said the sureties must be civil servants on Grade Level 8.

He adjourned the case to Sept. 30 for hearing.