Lagos Lawyer Arraigned Over Alleged Forgery and Fraud

A Legal practitioner, Kole Bello, who allegedly forged a land Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), was on Monday charged before a Lagos High Court in Igbosere.

Bello alongside three others, Chukwu Victor, Friday Palmer and Osumah Terry, were arraigned before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo on three counts of conspiracy, forgery and fraud.

State Counsel, R.O. Aroyewun, said the defendants committed the offence sometime in December 2001, at Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, Lagos.

According to Aroyewun, the defendants conspired and forged a C of O with reference no. 63/63/1989, dated September 28, 1989, “with the intent that it may be acted upon as genuine.”

The defendants, he alleged, forged the said C of O to take over a plot of land belonging to the Estate of the late Mrs Francisca Awolaja.

He said they forged the document and arranged for someone to impersonate the late Awolaja in other to fraudulently convey her land to one Mr Rotimi Olubeko for the sum of N5 million.

The offence contravened Sections of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.

The defendants pleaded not guilty.

Their counsel, F. O. Udokporo, asked the court to allow them to continue enjoying the bail initially granted them by the court.

They were granted administrative bail by the court last July following their arrest on a bench warrant.

Justice Taiwo allowed them to remain on bail and adjourned the case to November 15 for trial.


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