A trader at the Alaba International Market, Ojo, Lagos, Christopher Nwamere, has been arraigned before a Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, for alleged perjury, forgery, fraud, stealing and unlawful conversation.
Christopher, was arraigned before the court presided over by Chief Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun, on alleged 19 counts charges of the offence, by the men of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID) Annex Alagbon-Ikoyi Lagos.
The trader, according the prosecutor, Barrister Morufu Animashaun, committed the alleged offences between 2009 and 2020.
Barrister Animashaun, while arraigning the trader, told the court that the defendant, in a bid to forcefully and illegally take over other shops, belonging to Chief Oyekunle Ogunbiyi, falsely deposed to an affidavit before one Queen Urauike, a Notary Public, claiming that he had lost the letters of allocation issued to him, his three relations, Gloria I. Nwawere, Marian C. Nwawere, Joy C. Nwawere, and Oyekunle Ogunbiyi, Basil C. Ibeh, by Ojo Local Government of Lagos State.
Among the shops he allegedly claimed to have be allocated to him were; shops A70B, A70C, A70D, A70E, A71B, A71C at Fancy and Furniture Plaza, Alaba International Market, Ojo. And shop A70J located at John Bros Continental Agencies Limited,
The prosecutor also told the court that the defendant made a false reported at Ojo Police Divisional Headquarters, that he lost a letter of allocation issued to you by Ojo Local Government Area, in respect of shops.
The prosecutor further informed the court that the defendant, also fraudulently executed Deed of transfer in the name of one Chief Oyekunle Ogunbiyi, in respect of shops Number A-71E, in favour of one Mr. Ifeanyi Udemba. Adding that the defendant went further to fraudulenty obtained the sum of N7. 005 million from the dou of Franklin Chinweze and Nwogu Anayo, for the sales of shops Numbers A70, A70D,A70I, A71B, A71C, A71K, A71L and A71E, which actually belongs to Chief Oyekunle Ogunbiyi.
The defendant’s alleged criminal acts, according to the prosecutor, contravened Sections 115; 96 (a); 314 (1) (a); 363(2) and 287; of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2003, and punishable under Section 314 (3) of the same Laws.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following his not guilty plea, the prosecutor, Barrister Animashaun, asked the court for a trial date, and also urged the court to remand the defendant in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) till the determination of the charge.
However, defendant’s counsel, Barr Ola O, who stood in for Barrister Ali Abba, asked the court to grant his client bail in the most liberal terms, arguing that the charges against his client are bailable ones. And that his client remain innocent of the allegations until contrary is proven.
Ruling on the counsel’s submissions, Chief Magistrate Olatunbosun, admitted bail to the defendant in the sum of N5 million with two responsible sureties in like sum.
Chief Magistrate Olatunbosun also ordered that one of the sureties must be a landed property owner within the Court’s jurisdisction, and that the second surety must be a blood relation, and that both sureties must show to court evidence of three years tax payable to the Lagos State government.
The Chief Magistrate while adjourning the matter to November 29 for mention, ordered that defendant be remanded in NCoS’custody till when he meet the bail terms.
