Land agent docked over alleged N4.5m fraud

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A land agent, Usman Zaki, was on Wednesday arraigned in a Kaduna High Court over an alleged N4.5 million fraud.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged Zaki, 41, with forgery.

The EFCC counsel, Nasiru Salele, told the court that the defendant committed the offence sometime in September 2022.

Salele alleged that the defendant forged the document of four plots of land located at Rigasa Kaduna, and gave it to the complainant, Danladi Yusuf, as deed for the plots of land.

“The defendant forged a document and sold four plots of land which does not belong to him to the complainant at N4.5 million,” he said.

The prosecutor added that when the complainant stated building on the land, he was accosted by the original owner.

Salele said that efforts made by the complainant to get the refund of his money from the defendant proved abortive.

He said the offence was contrary to Section 344 and punishable under Section 345 of the Kaduna State Penal Code, 2017.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Counsel to the defendant, Hassan Liman, urged the court to grant him bail on liberal terms.

The Judge, Dairus Khobo, admitted the defendant to bail of N300, 000 with one surety in like sum.

He said the surety must be a blood relation of the defendant while his address must be verified.

Khobo adjourned the matter until July 27, for hearing.