Man Poses As Real Estate Agent, Defrauds Business Man N80 Million

The Law

One Alhaji Jimoh Olawale has been arrested and arraigned by an Ikeja High Court, Lagos for defrauding a businessman, Olukorede Roberts, of N80 million after posing as a self-styled real estate agent.

Olawale is facing a two-count charge of obtaining money by false pretenses and stealing.

Roberts explained how he was allegedly defrauded by the defendant, stating that he gave the money to Olawale for the purchase of a land at Block 2, Plot 1, Onikoyi Layout, Parkview Estate, Lagos.

He stated that he started to trust the accused after he lied that he was a representative of Onikoyi family, the righful owners of the land.

He said: “The N80 million was paid into the defendants three separate bank accounts situated in Stanbic IBTC, Fidelity and United Bank of Africa (UBA).

“Upon paying the money, we went into a contract of sale but I have since found out that he built the transaction on lies and had no contact with the Onikoyi family.

“The Onikoyi family denied knowing him and I further discovered that there was no trace that he transferred funds to the family.

“Alhaji Olawale claimed that he was working for the family but they family denied him.

“He also gave me a receipt of payment which carried a letter head of a lawyer’s chamber, simply identified as Abiodun, who he claimed represented the family.

“Up till now, I have not gotten the land nor received back my funds,” he said.

He said he instructed his lawyer to write a petition to the Police Special Fraud Unit (SFU) after it dawned on him that he had been defrauded.

“I instructed my lawyer to petition the Special Fraud Unit since its within their jurisdiction.”

“The defendant with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N80 million from Roberts.

“He did that by falsely representing to him that he was authorised by the a representative of the Onikoyi family, His Royal Majesty, Ibikunle Fafunwa Onikoyi, to sell part of their land,” Jackson said.

The offences contravened Sections 383 (2)(f) and 390 (9) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State 2004.

The case was adjourned till May 25 by Justice Adenike Coker for cross-examination of Roberts.