Businessman docked over alleged N1.5m land fraud

A 45-year-old businessman, Shehu Abdullahi, was on Thursday arraigned in a Kaduna Magistrates’ Court over alleged N1.5 million land fraud.

Abdullahi who lives at Isah Kaita Road, Kaduna, is facing a two-count of fraud and cheating.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Chidi Leo, told the court that the defendant committed the offences sometimes in June 2019 in Kaduna.

According to Leo, the defendant sold a plot of land situated at Rigasa in Kaduna, to the complainant at the sum of N1.5 million.

“The defendant collected the money and gave the complainant a fake document for the land,’’ he said.

The prosecutor said that when the complainant went to start building on the said land, he was stopped by the real owner.

Leo added that all efforts made by the complainant to get his money back proved abortive.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened sections 297 and 307 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty.

The Magistrate, Ibrahim Emmanuel, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

Emmanuel said the sureties must reside within the jurisdiction of the court, with evidence of tax payments to the Kaduna State Government.

He adjourned the case until March 2 for hearing.