Police attached to the Special Fraud Unit (SFU),
Milverton, Ikoyi, Lagos State, said: “It’s a case of conspiracy, obtaining the
sum of N110m by false pretence and issuance of dud cheque, which was reported
through a written petition dated September 22, 2016. The petition was written
by Esther Olufunmilayo against Gabriel Gbenoba.”
Speaking about the case, the SFU spokesman, Lawal
Audu said: “ The petitioner alleged that sometimes between 2012 and 2013, she
wanted to buy some acres of land along Ibadan Expressway to build a factory.
She said that Gabriel Gbenoba, who was her lawyer, volunteered to get the land
for her. After a week, he came and told her that he has secured 10 acres of
land along Ibadan Expressway, after Redeemed Camp, Ogun State for N10m. She further said that she agreed to buy the
then acres of land for N100m and to pay additional sum of N10m as commission
fee on the 10 acres of land. After she paid the sum of N110m to lawyer Gabriel
Gbenoba for the purchase of the land, he did not buy any land, but converted
her money to his own use. After several demand to collect her money, he issued
her with Skye Bank Cheque which when presented for payment at the bank, got
bounced.”
Audu said that it was on the strength of the woman’s
petition that a warrant of arrest and banker’s order were obtained at
Magistrates’ Court Igbosere.
The investigation was extended to Skye Bank and the
bank’s reply showed that there was insufficient fund in the suspect’s account
at the date the suspect issued the eight Skye Bank Cheques.
Audu said that further investigation revealed that
there was no land for sale.
The suspect was arrested with warrant of arrest and
charged and cautioned in English Language after he volunteered his statement.
Audu disclosed: “He confessed to have issued the dud
cheques. He claimed in his statement that his outstanding is about N79, 750,000
and not N110m. He further claimed that he was duped by the trio of Mr Dada, Mr
Oyedele and Mr Shekitama. He said that Mr Shekitama and Mr Oyedele have died,
but Mr Dada was very sick with stroke and didn’t have any intention to defraud
the petitioner. Our policemen went to
house and premises to carry out a search, but nothing incriminating was found.”
It was gathered that both parties were interviewed by an Assistant Commissioner
of Police, leading to the suspect accepting to pay the sum of N79, 750,000 on
installment basis.
“The suspect issued First Bank Cheques to cover the
said sum of N79, 750,000 to the complainant through the police. The suspect raised postdated cheques of N79,
750,000 before he was granted bail,” said Audu.
Audu continued: “ The postdated cheques of First
Bank in the sum of N10m each at the
police office to the complainant from March-September 2017, got bounced during
presentation for payment at the bank.”
The police said that the lawyer committed an offence
punishable under sections8 (a) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other
Fraud Related Offences Act, No. 14 of 2006.
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