EFCC re-arraigns 73 years old land  grabber for alleged theft of 19 million from son-in-law 

Admin I Tuesday, January 28, 2025

 

IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has re-arraigned a 73-year old land grabber, Mr. Murtala Adebayo, better  known as Oloriebi of Ajaland before Justice Rahman Oshodi of Special Offences Court, sitting in Ikeja, Lagos over alleged theft of N19 million from his son-in-law.

Adebayo was arraigned before Justice Mojisola Dada on 24 January 2024 on a three-count charge, and he entered a ‘Not Guilty’ plea and was granted bail on 12 February, 2024 before commencement of full trial.

During today’s arraignment, the defendant, who took his plea in the Yoruba Language, again entered a “not guilty” plea to the three count charge filled against him.

The prosecuting counsel, Sa’adatu Yabo, prayed the court for a trial date.

But the defendant’s counsel, Bamidele Ogundele, urged the court to allow the defendant to enjoy the bail earlier granted him before Justice Dada.

In a swift reaction, layer to the nominal complainant Martins Oyigbo, who was given opportunity to address the court in response to defendant’ plea, to adopt previous bail conditions granted to the defendant by Justice Dada said there was a letter in respect of the case before Justice Dada warranting his decision to recuse himself from the matter.

He told the court that the document used to perfect the  defendant’s bail conditions were all fake and consequently urged the court not to grant him bail.

He told the court that the Corporate Affairs Commission Certificate used to secure the bail before Justice Dada was fake as the complainant thereafter, applied to the commission and a new certificate was issued to them confirming that the earlier one used was cloned.

Oyingbo also told the court that #5 million in lien for the bail was also cloned as said sum was not in the account as at the time the account was used to secured the bail for the defendant.

Thereafter, the counsel also challenged the authenticity of the tax clearance certificate used for the bail.

After listening to their submission, Justice Oshodi granted bail to defendant on existing bail conditions granted to him by Justice Dada on February 12, 2024.

Defendant was granted bail in the sum of Five Million Naira with one surety in like sum and a lien of Five Million Naira placed on surety personal account.

Court added that surety must enroll in surety registration management.

There court, thereafter, ruled that the Deputy Registrar must verify all the documents and ensure the compliance within fourteen days.

Court adjourned the matter till 7 March, 2025, for trial.

One of the counts reads: “Murtala Adebayo, sometime in 2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N4,500,000 (Four Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira) from one Gafar Abiodun Ademolake by falsely representing to him that the payment was for three plots of land at Ogombo Ajah, Lagos, which representation you knew to be false.”

Another count reads: “Murtala Adebayo, sometime in 2019 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained three cars, two Toyota Camry 2005 model and one Honda Accord 2006 model all at an agreed value of N9,000,000.00 from one Gafar Abiodun Ademolake by falsely representing to him that the payment was for balance payment of 18 plots of land at Ayogbemi Village, Ibeju, Lekki, Lagos, a representation you knew to be false.”