Lawyer Arraigned For Alleged N7.25m Land Fraud

The police have arraigned a 33-year-old legal practitioner, Luka Linus Yabagi, at the Life Camp Chief Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, for allegedly cheating his client of N7.25 million.

The police charged Yabagi of Dakwa Abuja, who claimed to be a doctor of law, with cheating, criminal breach of trust, forgery and using as genuine documents.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge levelled against him.

The prosecutor, Mrs Charity Nwachukwu, told the court that one Mr Mukhtar Isah of No.4 Goodluck Jonathan Street, Dakwa, Abuja, reported the matter at the Gwarinpa Police Station on Dec. 9, 2024.

Nwachukwu said that the defendant dishonestly and deceitfully made the complainant believe he had the capacity at FCDA to process and secure a land allocation for him.

She said that the defendant deceived the complainant into thinking he was going to use his application for the Statutory Right of Occupancy acknowledgement he secured with File No: 62024, in which he demanded payment.

She told the court that the defendant deceived the complainant into paying N7.25 million into his Access Bank account 1466739589, bearing Linus Befiyo Luka.

Nwachukwu said the defendant fraudulently and dishonestly gave the complainant an offer of statutory right of occupancy, a statutory right of occupancy bill, a site plan and a certificate of occupancy No. FCT/MZTP/LA/CUS/2047.

She said all the documents were bearing Paiamist Nig. Ltd as the allottee with plot No. 2233 located at Guzape II.

Nwachukwu told the court that the defendant deceitfully presented the forged document to the complainant and converted the N7.25 million he had spent on the land process and documentation to his personal use.

She also informed the court that the defendant absconded to an unknown destination, and all efforts to reach him proved abortive. However, he was later tracked and apprehended.

She said that during the police investigation, it was discovered that the purported document the defendant issued to the complainant was altered and forged and did not emanate from the Department of Land Administration.

The prosecutor told the court that the defendant could not give a satisfactory account of his actions.

Nwachukwu said that the case contravened the provisions of Sections 322, 312, 364 and 366 of the Penal Code.

The chief magistrate, Musa Jobbo, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N1 million and two sureties in like sum.

Jobbo ordered that the sureties must produce a reliable means of identification before the court registry.

He said that one of the sureties must be a property owner and must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.

Jobbo ordered the defendant to deposit N2 million in the FCT High Court Registry and adjourned the matter until June 19 for a hearing.