A 60-year old developer, Alhaji Lukman Atanda, and six estate agents, Lukman Katibi, 42; Rotimi Ige, 59; Samuel Adeniji, 49; Thomas Ajayi, 49; Abayomi Olusegun, 42 and Hamzat Saheed, 42 have been arrested for fraud by renting out a mini-flat to 70 accommodation seekers worth N16.6m in Lagos State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened between November 2022 to July 2023 at 4 Bishop Street, Egbeda, Lagos, where the house in question is located.
They have been arrested and charged before the Ogba Magistrate Court for conspiracy and stealing.
The Police arraigned the defendants following complaints by the victims as they were found culpable for the alleged offence and consequently charged before the Court.
According to the Police, Atanda, who is a property developer, conspired with the other defendants, who are estate agents and obtained the money under the false pretence of renting out the accommodation and thereafter bolted away with the money.
This caused serious confusion among the victims as they realized that there was no accommodation available and they were defrauded by the defendants.
All the defendants, who live at Egbeda in Lagos, are facing charges of conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretences and stealing, which attracts several years of imprisonment.
However, they pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Inspector Innocent Odugbo, told the Court that the defendants committed the offences from November 2022 to July 2023 by obtaining N16.6 million from 70 different accommodation seekers under the pretence of renting out a mini-flat to them.
Odugbo explained that the defendants did not secure any accommodation for any of the victims and did not return their money, which contravened Sections 287, 312, 314 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The Presiding Magistrate, M. F. Onamusi, granted each of the defendants bail in the sum of N2 million with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment .
The matter was adjourned till 8th November, 2023, for mention while the defendants were remanded in custody at the Correctional Centre at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when they will perfect their bail conditions.