Septuagenarian Faces Trial Over Alleged Forgery Of N250m Property Document

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Paul Iyoghojiie

A 71-year old property developer,Theophilus Abiona has been arrested and arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate Court for allegedly forging the Certificate of Occupancy, C of O  of a property valued at N250m located at 310, Old Abeokuta Motor Road, Oja Oba, Abule Egba area of Lagos.

The property allegedly belonged to Cherubim and Seraphim Sacred Mount Zion.

The arrest of the accused, according to the Police was ordered by the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG in charge of Zone 2 Command, Lagos following a complaint by the trustees of the property.

The accused was charged before an Igbosere Magistrate Court on a four-count charge of felony to wit, forgery of C of O of a N250m property, a claim the police said the accused knew fully well to be false.

Police Counsel, Ibrahim Haruna informed the Court that the accused, a property developer committed the alleged offence in 2016 at 310, old Abeokuta Motor Road, Oja Oba, Abule Egba, Lagos.

Haruna told the Court that the complainants reported to the Police that they contracted the accused as a property developer to build and managed the N250m property for 16 years to recoup his money and transfer the property back to them, but that they were shocked that after the agreement they had with the accused expired, he refused to hand over the property to them and instead forged a certificate of occupancy and altered the rightful name of the owner of the property belonging to Cherubim and Seraphim Sacred Mount Zion to Theophilus Olusegun Abiona.

Haruna said that the complainants stated that they decided to report the matter to the Police when all their efforts to resolve the matter proved abortive leading to the accused arrest.

Haruna said the offences the accused committed were contrary to and punishable under sections 411, 363(1)(a)(b).289 and 290 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State,2015.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges in the open court and Chief Magistrate Folashade Botoku granted him bail in the sum of N10m with two sureties in like sum.

Botoku adjourned the case till 9 April, 2018 for trial.