KINGSLEY EBERE
A 43-year old man, Saheed Oniga, has been arrested and charged in Lagos State for allegedly swindling a victim, Ajibola Balogun, to the tune of the sum of N4.7m under the false pretence of selling a plot of land to him, which turned out to be a scam.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened in May, 2025, at Olarewaju Street, Hill Top Estate, Aboru Iyana-Ipaja, Lagos.
According to the Police, the suspect told the complainant that he had a plot of land, which he wanted to sell and they agreed on the amount which the complainant paid.
However, after the complainant paid the money, the suspect bolted away with the money and disconnected every communication he had with the complainant.
The matter was reported to the Police at Oke-Odo Division. The Police moved into action, eventually arrested and detained him at the station for interrogation over his alleged conduct.
While being interrogated, the suspect admitted that he actually collected the money from the complainant and had spent it, as such he had no money to refund him.
The Police found him culpable over his conduct and charged him before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence which attracts several years of imprisonment.
The charges read:
COUNT I: “That you, Saheed Oniga ‘M’, sometime in May, 2025 at Olarewaju Street, Hill Top Estate, Aboru Iyana-Ipaja, Lagos, in the Ikeja Magisterial District, Dishonestly obtained the sum of (4,750,000:00) Four Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira, from one Mr. Ajibola Balogun ‘M’ under the pretence of providing him a plot of land, a representation known to be false and thereby commited an offence contrary to Section 314 (1) (a) (b) and punishable under Section 314 (3) of the criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
COUNT II: “That you Saheed Oniga ‘M’, on the same date, time, and place at the aforementioned Magisterial District, did steal sum of N 4,750,000,00 Four Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira, Property of one Ajibola Balogun ‘M’ and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 280 (a) (b) and punishable under Section 287 (5) (a) of the criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
However, he pleaded not guilty.
The Prosecutor, Supol Philip Ademigbuji, 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. O. Kusanu, granted him bail with two sureties, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment while addresses will be verified by the Court.
The matter was adjourned 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.