Driver Connives With 2 Land Speculators To Dupe Boss N65m

PAUL IYOGHOJIE

A driver, Taoreed Rafiu, 53, a resident of Isheri Oshun Area of Lagos has been arrested by the operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, FSARS at Adeniji Adele Road, Lagos Island for allegedly conniving with two land agents to defraud his employer, Alhaji Tajudeen Opebiyi of the sum of N65 million.

Police identified the land agents as Alhaji Lawal Gbeleola, 69 and Adekunle Salami, 51, both residence of Isheri Osun Area of Lagos.

Police investigation revealed that trouble began for the three suspects when Alhaji Gbeleola and Adekunle Salami approached the complainant that they have about 5,000 acres of land to sell to him.

The suspects were alleged to have told the complainant that before the land could be sold, he must compensate the land owners with the sum of N65 million to avoid unforeseen future legal disputes on the land.

The complainant, the police alleged, agreed to the suspects’ demands and started releasing money to them to settle the land owners.

Police alleged that when the complainant could not follow up the transactions anymore, due to old age and health challenges, he delegated the driver, Taoreed Rafiu to monitor the suspects in the payment of the compensation to the land owners.

Unknown to him the suspects were suspected fraudsters.

It was gathered that as soon as the suspect realized that the presence of the driver to the complainant in their midst could expose their secret, they allegedly open up to the driver that they have no land to sell to his employer but only out to defraud the man.

The suspects pleaded with the driver not to tell his employer the truth about the land transactions with a promise to be giving him the sum of N500,000 from every money his employer release to them to compensate the land owners.

Police said that the driver out of greed, agreed to the suspects’ overtures and started collecting N500,000 from them and fed his employer lies about the land transactions.

Police investigations revealed that after the complainant had completed the payment of N65 million to the land owners, he asked the suspects to take him to the land to enable his surveyors to commence work on it, but the suspects according to the police allegedly told the complainant to stop disturbing them about the land matter or else they will kill him.

Following the threat to his life, the complainant reported the matter to the DCP FSARS, Lagos Mr. Ibrahim Kaoje who directed a team lead by DSP Odofin Segun to fish out the suspects.

Follow intelligence gathering and tracking of the suspects, the police arrested the two suspects at their hide out at Isheri Osun Area of Lagos and took them to the station.

During investigation, the two suspects allegedly opened up and confessed to the police that they do not have any land to sell to the complainant, but only out to defraud him.
The suspects also allegedly confessed that they paid the driver to the complainant about N3.5 million to tell his employer lies throughout the illegal land transactions.

Following their confessional statement, they led the police to arrest the driver to the complainant who also confessed that he was bribed by the suspects to tell his employer lies in the land transactions.

After investigation, the three suspects were arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate Court Lagos on a three count charge of obtaining money under false pretense and stealing.

Police prosecutor C.N Odii Esq said in charge No H/30/2017 that the offenses committed were punishable under section 411, 312(1) (A) (B) and 56 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The accused person pleaded not guilty to the alleged crime in the open court.

Magistrate Mrs. O.O Oshin admitted them to bail in the sum of N1 million each with two sureties each in like sum

Oshin adjourned the case to 16 June, 2017 for mention while the defendants were ordered remanded at Ikoyi Prison pending when they will be able to fulfill their bail condition