Ladipo Sanusi/
Freedom today eluded a suspected fraudster being held by the police over alleged N787.5million land fraud in Lagos.
Magistrate Abimbola Komolafe of Igbosere Chief Magistrate’s Court, in Lagos, dismissed the bail application of Kings Court Realtors’ boss, Emeka Okoronkwo, for lacking merit.
Okoronkwo was detained on the orders of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris, after detectives allegedly found that a US-based Nigerian businessman, Kennedy Chukwuemeka Nwabuoku, was led to the Lagos lagoon when he asked to see 150 plots of land that he had paid over half a billion naira for.
Okoronkwo had filed a bail application asking the Court to order his release from police detention on medical ground.
He also challenged his detention without allegedly being charged to Court, claiming that it’s a breach of his fundamental human rights.
Opposing his claims, the lawyer representing the police, Sgt Morufu Animashaun, tendered a medical certificate from the police hospital, which certified the suspect as medically sound and void of any health-threatening ailment.
The Police had also told the Court that the suspect’s right was never breached, as a charge containing ‘his nefarious acts’ has been filed before a higher court in the state, but the charge is yet to be assigned to any court.
The Police thereby urged the Court to dismiss the suspect’s bail application for lacking merit.
In her ruling on the suspect’s bail application, Magistrate Komolafe upheld the police’s submission and dismissed the application for lacking in merit.
NewsmakersNG broke the story, ‘Fraudsters Sell Lagos Lagoon for N787.5million, on November 16, 2017.
The Police had filed a criminal charge at the magistrate’s court against Okoronkwo and another suspect, Michael Owolabi Alonge who is on the run, but the matter is yet to be assigned to any judge. Mr Femi Falana SAN is representing Nwabuoku.
Nwabuoku allegedly paid N577, 590, 792 in installments among other charges, plus another N18million for bush clearing in February, after which the land agents allegedly sent him pictures and videos of caterpillars in action at a purported site at Ifedele Agunbiade Village, Sangotedo, in Eti-Osa area of Lagos.
Okoronkwo who had admitted receiving payments from Nwabuoku is claiming that the client is at fault since he allegedly paid N603, 000, 000 for 100 plots and failed to pay the balance for 50 plots.
The land was offered for sale at N5, 250, 000 per plot.
0