Land agent docked for alleged N7.9m fraud

A 39-year-old land agent, Jacob Blessed, was on Thursday arraigned before a Kaduna Chief Magistrates’ Court, for allegedly defrauding a man of N7.9 million.

Blessed, who resides at No. 24, Lagos St., along Katsina Road, Kaduna State, was charged with obtaining money under false pretences and stealing.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Chidi Leo, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offences between January and June 2021 in Kaduna.

Leo alleged that Blessed obtained N7.9 million from the complainant, Mr. David Kefas, on the pretext of assisting him to acquire 10 plots of land at Maraba Rido, Kaduna.

“Blessed collected N7.9 million from the complainant on the pretext of selling the land to him, which he never did,” the prosecutor said.

Leo said that when the complainant demanded for refund, the defendant failed to refund the money and ran to an unknown destination.

He stated that the defendant was seen and arrested at Barkin Ladi, Plateau, after the complainant lodged a complaint at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID).

According to the prosecutor, the offences contravene the provisions of Sections 243 and 217 of the Penal Code of Kaduna State, 2017.

Blessed, however, denied committing the offences.

The Magistrate, Ibrahim Emmanuel, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N1million with two sureties in like sum.

Emmanuel ordered that the sureties must be blood relations of the defendant, who must be gainfully employed with evidence of tax payment to the Kaduna State Government.

He adjourned the case until Aug. 19 for hearing.