The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja has sentenced a employees member of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Kinsley Eselebor, to seven years’ imprisonment for defrauding a land buyer with cast paperwork.
Trial decide A.O. Musa discovered Mr Eselebor responsible on all 5 counts introduced in opposition to him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in response to a press release from the fee’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, on Wednesday.
The courtroom sentenced the convict to seven years’ imprisonment every on counts one, two and three, and two years every on counts 4 and 5, with all sentences to run concurrently and with out an possibility of high quality
The case arose from the sale of two plots of land, recognized as Plots 383 and 424, in Kubwa District Central Annex, Abuja, to Moses Osinachi.
Mr Eselebor, who labored within the FCDA’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning, allegedly introduced the plots as real properties regardless of having no legitimate title to switch to the buyer.
Evidence earlier than the courtroom confirmed that the 2 males have been neighbours and attended the identical church. Mr Osinachi reportedly trusted Mr Eselebor partly due to their relationship and his place within the FCDA.
The prosecution acknowledged that Mr Eselebor used two conveyance paperwork bearing the names Yusuf Lawan and Adegoke Asiwaju to persuade Mr Osinachi that the plots have been real. When the buyer questioned the paperwork, Mr Eselebor allegedly assured him that they have been genuine.
Relying on these assurances, Mr Osinachi transferred cash from the account of his firm, Moscow International Services Limited, to Mr Eselebor for the acquisition.
The transaction unravelled when Mr Osinachi tried to take possession of the land and found that Mr Eselebor had no legitimate title to switch to him.
When confronted, Mr Eselebor reportedly admitted figuring out that the properties had rival claimants and promised to offer various plots. He failed to take action.
Mr Osinachi subsequently demanded a refund however couldn’t resolve the dispute. He later petitioned the EFCC, which investigated the matter and prosecuted Mr Eselebor.
The case was initially filed in March 2021 with three counts of acquiring cash underneath false pretences. The expenses have been later expanded to 5, together with two counts regarding using cast paperwork as real.
Reacting to the judgement, Joshua Saidi, the EFCC’s director of prison litigation and prosecution lawyer, mentioned the conviction ought to function a warning to those that defraud property consumers with cast paperwork.
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He additionally expressed concern that Mr Eselebor had allegedly used his place as an FCDA worker to achieve the buyer’s belief.
“This judgment has served as a deterrent to all this land racketeering, you know, these fraudsters, parading fake documents, defrauding unsuspecting victims,” Mr Saidi mentioned.
The case comes amid wider considerations over the land fraud circumstances utilizing cast paperwork. In February, the Federal Capital Territory Administration nullified 485 Area Council land paperwork after they failed official verification checks, with some discovered to be faux. The affected paperwork coated Bwari, Abuja Municipal Area Council and Kuje.
Property consumers can test possession information and title standing by means of the Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS) title-search service earlier than finishing a land transaction.
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