The Nigerian police have arraigned a pair and executives of Homadil Realty Restricted, an actual property agency in Abuja, in reference to an alleged fraudulent scheme involving 4 plots of land within the federal capital metropolis.
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the police arraigned Rebecca Isaac (often known as Bilkisu Ishaku Aliyu) and her husband, Ishaku Isaac, on 28 January on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Excessive Court docket in Apo, Abuja,
Their firm, Homadil Realty Restricted, is listed because the third defendant, whereas the Government Director of Rychado Houses, Richard John, is known as because the fourth defendant. However Mr John was absent from court docket on the day of the arraignment.
Nevertheless, the remainder of the defendants pleaded not responsible to all 5 counts of fraud which the police filed in opposition to them on 23 January.
The trial choose, Sadia Mayana, granted them bail.
They had been every granted bail within the sum of N10 million, with two sureties of the identical quantity.
The choose specified that the sureties have to be respected people who personal landed property in Abuja.
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He adjourned until 11 February for trial.
Fees
Within the copy of the indictment seen by PREMIUM TIMES, the police prosecutor, Abdulrashid Sidi, accused the defendants of forging paperwork to falsely current themselves as rightful homeowners of prime plots of land in Guzape and Katampe, two high-demand districts in Abuja.
The prosecution alleged that Mrs Isaac and others possessed an Irrevocable Energy of Legal professional that fraudulently conferred possession of Plot 4022, Guzape District, which they falsely claimed to carry alongside Amina Musa Usman. This doc was allegedly used to deceive potential consumers.
In counts two and three, the prosecution mentioned the defendants allegedly misrepresented themselves as homeowners of Plots 1861 and 1862, Katampe District, Cadastral Zone B07, promoting them for N25 million every below false pretences.
In one other depend, the prosecution alleged that by fraudulently presenting themselves because the homeowners of Plot 1863 Katampe District, they made Tadas Okonkwo and others subscribe and purchase land from them for N25 million.
Equally, in depend 5, the prosecution alleged that by fraudulently presenting themselves because the proprietor of Plot 4022 Guzape District, the defendants made Tadas Okonkwo, and others subscribe and purchase N40 million from them.
The indictment costs the defendants below sections 1(3) and 4(3) of the Advance Price Fraud and Different Fraud-Associated Offences Act, 2006.
Part 1 of the Act criminalises acquiring property by false pretences from another particular person, in Nigeria or in another nation, for himself or another particular person; or by inducing another particular person, in Nigeria or in another nation, to ship to any particular person.
The legislation in part 1(3) specifies imprisonment for a time period of no more than 20 years and never lower than 7 years with out the choice of a positive for an individual who commits an offence and is convicted below subsection (1) or (2) of this part.
For its half, part 4(3) says, “Any one who, with intent to defraud, knowingly makes, utters, points or circulates any false or deceptive assertion, doc or illustration, whether or not orally or in writing, in furtherance of advance price fraud, commits an offence below this Act.”
Earlier authorized motion
This isn’t the primary authorized motion linked to the disputed land.
In December 2024, the Federal Excessive Court docket in Abuja granted the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC) a 60-day interim forfeiture order over the 4 plots to permit for additional investigation.
The trial choose, Emeka Nwite issued the order on 20 December 2024, following an ex parte software filed by the EFCC on 11 December.
The affected properties are Plot 4022, Guzape District, Cadastral Zone A09, Plots 1861, 1862, and 1863, Katampe District, Cadastral Zone B07.
Reporter focused
This reporter started investigating the alleged fraud after acquiring an FCT Authorized Companies report, which implicated Ms Isaac for alleged collusion with land division officers to fraudulently get hold of Energy of Legal professional.
On 30 Could 2024, a police officer, Ezemba Ezekiel, contacted this reporter by cellphone, inviting him to the Nigeria Police Pressure Intelligence Response Workforce (NPF-IRT) workplace in Guzape, Abuja.
The invitation was prompted by Mrs Isaac’s criticism to the police about this reporter’s deliberate report on the matter.
PREMIUM TIMES despatched a authorized consultant to honour the invitation.
Nevertheless, the police backed down on the case following public scrutiny the case drew.
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