A 43-year old suspected land grabber, Oyetayo Oluwadare, has landed in trouble in Lagos State for encouraging and grabbing N45m plots of land belonging to a prominent man and forcibly taking possession.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the owner of the land, Kolawole Oluwafemi ‘M’, who kept the property in care of One Hon. Adewumi Adewale, fought back, got him arrested and charged him before the Court for land grabbing under the Criminal Laws of the State.
The incident happened between June and July,2024 at Area one Estate, Adura bus stop, Suberu-oje, Alagbado area of Lagos, where the land is located.
According to the Police, the suspect conspired with others now at large, damaged the fence and took over the land. Before the owner discovered, he had already started building there.
However, the matter was reported to the Police at Area P Command, Ipaja and the suspect was arrested and detained at the Command for interrogation over his alleged conduct.
After rounds of interrogation, the Police found him culpable and consequently charged him before the Ejigbo Magistrate Court for the alleged offence.
The charges read:
COUNT I: “That you, Oyetayo Oluwadare ‘M’ and others now at large, sometimes between the month of June and July, 2024 at Area 1, Estate, Adura Bus Stop, Suberu-oje Alagbado, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit forcible entry, malicious damage and criminal conversion and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 411 of the criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
COUNT II: “That you, Oyetayo Oluwadare ‘M’ and others now at large on the same date and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did forcibly enter into the two plots of land belonging to one Kolawole Oluwafemi ‘M’ in care of One Hon. Adewumi Adewale ‘M’ and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 52 of the criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
COUNT III: “That you, Oyetayo Oluwadare ‘M’ and others now at large on the same date and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did unlawfully and maliciously damage the fence of the two plots of land, property of one Kolawole Oluwafemi ‘M’ in care of One Hon. Adewumi Adewale ‘M’ and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 339(1) of the criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
COUNT IV:”That you, Oyetayo Oluwadare ‘M’ and others now at large on the same date and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did fraudulently convert to your personal use two plots of land valued the um of Forty Five Million Naira (N45,000,000.00K) property of one Kolawole Oluwaferni ‘M’ in care of one Hon. Adewumi Adewale ‘M’, and committed an offence punishable under the Criminal law of Lagos State 2015.”
He pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Supol Benedict Aigbokhan, 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. K.A.Ariyo, granted him bail in the sum of N2m 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 4th January, 2025, 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.