BY ONOZURE DANIA

LAGOS — Three estate agents were, yesterday, docked before an Ebute Metta Magistrate’s Court by the Lagos State Police, over alleged land fraud worth N5million.
The defendants, Olusegun Oresanya, 47; Jude Dike,46, and Samuel Nkem,74, are facing a four count charge of conspiracy, wilful damage to property, false pretence and fraud, preferred against them by the police.

The police  prosecutor, Cpl Cyriacus Osuji informed the court that the defendants committed the alleged offence on December 21, 2013 at  Plot 13, Federal Government Layout, Suberu Oje,Abesan Site ii, in Agege, area of Lagos.
He said that the defendants damaged the fence and iron gate, worth N500,000, belonging to one  Mathew Komolafe, adding that the defendants forcefully entered Komolafe’s property.

Osuji said that the defendants obtained the sum of N5 million from the complainant, Jude Dike, on the pretext of selling a plot of land belonging to Komolafe to him.
According to the prosecutor, the defendant, showed the complainant fake title documents of a land and promised to hand over the documents to him after payment, but instead of handing over the documents, the defendant disappeared and converted the money to his personal use.

Osuji said the offence committed is contrary to Sections 312,318,337 and punishable under section 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, of Nigeria 2011.
However, the defendants, pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
Magistrate, Y.B Okusanya Badejo, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N200, 000 each with two sureties each in like sum.
She adjourned the case to January, 22, 2014.