Lagos Task Force Arraigns Fake Estate Agent Over Fraud

CHUKA UBAH

The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Enforcement (Task Force) Unit, has arraigned a fake female housing agent, Mrs. Bukola Ayorinde, at a Lagos Mobile Court over fraud in Ikorodu.

Speaking on the arraignment, the Chairman of the Agency, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi disclosed that her arrest was effected after a series of complaints from members of the public over a fake female agent obtaining a large sum of money from accommodation seekers and absconding afterwards.

He explained that the Agency while acting on a petition received from one Mrs. Olusola Ola-John, who claimed being defrauded of N250,000 by the suspect, during her search for an apartment to accommodate her aged mother at Millennium Estate Igbe in Ikorodu.
According to Egbeyemi, after a thorough investigation which led to the suspect’s arrest, it was discovered that she had been defrauding other innocent members of the public under the guise of being an estate agent around the Ikorodu axis.

He said, “The suspect was later charged, in line with the directive of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, for ‘Conduct Likely To Cause Breach of Peace, Cheating and Obtaining N250,000 Under False Pretence’ before Chief Magistrate Abimbola Oshodi-Makanju of the Lagos State Mobile Court sitting at Bolade in Oshodi”.

“Mrs. Bukola Ayorinde, however, pleaded ‘guilty’ to the three-count charge, which necessitated an adjournment to Friday, 26th of June, 2020 for a ‘fact and sentence’ judgment by the Magistrate”, Egbeyemi disclosed.

While appealing to members of the public to be wary of these criminal elements when looking for accommodation in any part of the State, the Chairman implored all residents in Lagos State to always patronise house agents registered with the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA) to avoid falling victim to unscrupulous individuals.