House developer dupes 31 people of N10.5 million

A property developer, Lekan Olamide, has been arrested and arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate Court for allegedly obtaining the sum of about N10.5 million from 31 accommodation seekers with the pretext of providing accommodation for them.

The developer was said to have converted victims’ money to his personal use and escaped.

Olamide’s arrest was ordered by the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG in charge of Zone 2 Command, Onikan, Lagos, Adamu Ibrahim following a petition by Olawale Oluwadare and 30 others.

Olamide was arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate Court, Lagos on a 31-count charge of felony to wit obtaining money under false pretense and stealing.

Police prosecutor, Friday Mammeh who stood informed the court in charge No. D/45/2017 that the accused and others still at large committed the alleged offence between January and July, 2017 at 7, Mogbotoluwa Street, Egebeda, Lagos.

Mammeh told the court that the accused built six rooms apartment in the area and fraudulently collected the sum of about N10.5 million from 31 accommodation seekers to rent the six rooms to them knowing fully well that it was not possible.

He said that after the accused collected the money from the complainants, he failed to provide the accommodation for them and instead, he went ahead to collect money from another six people and rented out the six rooms to them and escaped.

Mammeh said that when the complainants went to the house to collect the keys to their apartments they were shocked to meet all the rooms already occupied by strange faces.

He said it took the police several days to track and arrest the suspect at a hideout and took him to the station.

Mammeh identified some of the victims as Olawale Oluwadare who paid N700, 000; Idris Saheed, N350, 000; Kenneth Obaido, N220, 000; Adetayo Adeleke, N230, 000 and Alli Ahmad Adebowale, N260, 000 and 26 others.

Mammeh said that the offences committed were punishable under section 409 and 312(a) of the crimainla laws of lagos state, 2011.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the alleged crime and Magistrate B.A Shonuga granted bail in the sum of N2 million with two sureties in like sum.

Shonuga directed that the two sureties must be bank managers in banks on Lagos Island and ordered that the defendant be remanded at Ikoyi Prison, Lagos till he is able to fulfill his bail condition.

He adjourned the case till 12 September, 2017 for mention.

Source:( PM News )