A prosecution witness, Gafar Ademolake, yesterday, told a Lagos Special Offences Court, Ikeja, how a 72-year-old estate agent, Muritala Adebayo (popularly known as Oloriebi of Ajah) allegedly defrauded him of three cars and millions of naira.
The witness, who testified in an ongoing fraud trial of Adebayo before Justice Mojisola Dada, said the money was paid to him and his representatives. Led-in-evidence by counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Babangida Isah, the witness said he met the defendant, who is also his father-in-law, 11 years ago.
Adebayo, who is facing three counts charge filed against him by the EFCC, was arraigned on January 24, for allegedly obtaining money by false pretext. The anti-graft agency had alleged that the defendant, with an intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N4.5 million from Ademolake by falsely informing him that the payment was for three plots of land at Ogombo, Ajah area of Lagos State, a presentation he knew to be false.
The EFCC alleged that the defendant also collected the sum of N5.5 million from the complainant as part of the payment for 18 plots of land in Ayogbemi Village in Ibeju-Lekki, which he knew to be false.
Also, the defendant was alleged to have collected two Toyota Camry 2005 Model cars, one Honda Accord 2006 Model, valued at N9million from the complainant on the pretence that the payment was for the balance of the 18 plots of land in Ibeju, a presentation he knew to be false.
The commission said his offences contravened the provision of Section 1(3) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.He had pleaded not guilty to all the counts and the commission commenced trial.
At the resumed hearing, the witness told court that the defendant called him one day that he should use the proceeds from his business and give land in exchange.
According to the witness, he opened the transaction by giving the defendant N300,000 and N400,000 before he (defendant) demanded N1 million which he paid to him.
He said: “The defendant told me that he had land at Ayegbami and Eleko in Lagos and he promised to give me 18 plots of land there. I told him that there was a need for us to seal our business deals.
“So, I paid N3.5million for the first three plots of land in Ogombo in Ajah and he wrote receipts for the 18 plots of land.”
“I never knew that things was going wrong between us until he introduced me to one Mr. Akin. He called Akin who said they wanted to sell one estate behind Falling Rain Estate behind British School and it was N7.5 million.
“I paid N1.5 million cash to Baba Muritala Adebayo. After that, I paid another N1million naira and the total amount I paid was N3.5 million.” Ademolake further told the court that Akin warned him against paying money to the defendant as he was removing ridiculous commissions from the payments.
He added that the defendant denied collecting any commission, stressing that though he secured the land, he discovered after two years of securing the land that the landed property had been taken over by another estate developer.
The witness also explained to the court that upon discovery of encroachment on his property, he lodged a complaint to the defendant. He said the defendant asked him to call Mr. Goddy who calmed him down with a promise to give him another landed property. He also told the court that the defendant thereafter made a promise to be paying him N500,000 monthly for seven months.
When the witness was cross examined by the defence counsel, Mr Bamidele Ogundele on documents to authenticate his testimony as there are no documents or receipts tendered before the court by EFCC, the witness said he had all the receipts of all payments made by him.
Attempt by the prosecution counsel to tender the available receipts through the witness during cross-examination was promptly declined by the court. Justice Dada subsequently adjourned to May 14, for continuation of trial.
