Two men –  Ademuyiwa Awonuga and Mustapha Opeyemi  – were on Thursday docked in a Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos State, for alleged N18 million land fraud.

The defendants, who had no fixed address, were arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on fraud, stealing and breach of peace.

They, however, pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

The prosecutor, ASP Edet Ekpo, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on Oct. 9, 2023, at 10.30 a.m. at Samo-Anavieko, Badagry.

Ekpo said that the defendants conspired to obtain the sum under false pretences.

He said, “The defendants collected the sum of N18 million from Samuel Shodeinde, the complainant, on the pretext of buying for him two plots of land which they never bought. The defendants converted the money to their own use. They conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by reselling the said landed property to another person. The offences contravene Sections 411, 314, 287 and 168 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.’’

The Chief Magistrate A J Aina granted the defendants bail in the sum of N500,000 each, with two sureties in like sum.

Aina said that the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and have evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

The chief magistrate adjourned the case until October 24 for mention.

(NAN)