MICHAEL AKINOLA
A 45-year old suspected land grabber, Momodu Rasaki, has been arrested and charged in Lagos State for allegedly grabbing a parcel of land belonging to Otegbola family in Ikeja and selling it to The Apostolic Church for N21m.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the owners of the land, the Otegbola family, resisted the church from taking possession of the land in question and the church was unable to get refund of their money from the seller, Rasaki.
The incident happened in January, 2024, at Otegbola village in Ikeja area of Lagos State, where the land is located.
Trouble was said to have started when the Otegbola family discovered and resisted the church from taking possession of the land and the suspect started threatening to kill members of the family, which prompted the family to report the matter to the Police.
Hence, the Police moved into action and arrested Mr. Friday and detained him at the station. He was asked to refund the money he collected from the church but he refused and told the Police that he had spent the money.
The Police found him culpable and charged him before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence under the Criminal Laws of the State.
COUNT I:- That you, Momodu Rasaki and one other at large, in the Ogba magisterial district, sometimes in the month of January, 2024, at Otegbola village, Ikeja, did conspire together to commit felony, to wit, stealing, by grabbing a piece of land belonging to Otegbola Family and selling it to The Apostolic Church at the sum of N21,000,000.00 and converting the money to your personal use without the knowledge of the family, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 280 and punishable under Section 287 of the criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.”
COUNT II:- That you, Momodu Rasaki and one other at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did, forge some documents belonging to Otegbola Family without their consent and thereby commited an offence contrary and punishable under section 365 of the criminal laws of Lagos State, 2015.”
COUNT III:- That you, Momodu Rasaki “M” and one other at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, did threaten the lives of members of Otegbola Family for no just cause and thereby commited an offence contrary and punishable under Section 56 of the criminal laws of Lagos State, 2015.”
COUNT IV:- That you, Momodu Rasaki and one other at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, did conduct yourselves in a manner likely to cause breach of peace in Otegbola village, ikeja, and thereby commited an offence contrary and punishable under Section 56 of the criminal laws of Lagos State, 2015.”
He pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Inspector John Iberedem, then asked the Court to give a date for hearing since he pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that he actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. E. Kubenije, granted him bail in the sum of N1m with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment while addresses will be verified by the Court.
The matter was adjourned till 19th November, 2024 for mention while the defendant was remanded in custody at the correctional center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when he will perfect his bail conditions.