Two lawyers, developer arraigned over illegal land deal in Lekki
Two lawful practitioners, Ademola Owolabi and Adebayo Akeju, alongside a staunch property developer, Alex Ochonogor, were the day prior to this arraigned earlier than the Lagos Direct Excessive Court docket in Tafawa Balewa Sq. over alleged conspiracy, forgery, and willful destruction of property.
The defendants were introduced earlier than Justice Serifat Sonaike on a 5-depend fee filed by the Lagos Direct Govt beneath swimsuit number LD/23611C/2024.
The costs border on conspiracy to commit forgery, forgery of favorable documents, and unlawful demolition of a residential property in the Lekki space of Lagos.
Representing the direct, Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Dr. Babajide Martins, alleged that the defendants conspired to forge an affidavit of loss and a demolition glimpse purportedly issued by the Lagos Direct Lands Bureau.
These solid documents were allegedly extinct to falsely claim that a Certificate of Occupancy on the initiating issued to one Hamza Al-Mustapha was missing.
The prosecution further claimed that the defendants solid a memorandum of loss and willfully demolished a bungalow located at Arrangement 10, Block 133, Lekki Peninsula Residential Contrivance 1 — a property stated to belong to Dr. Obidigwe Eze, a Nigerian dwelling in a single other nation. The offences allegedly occurred in 2015.
In step with the direct, their actions contravene Sections 411, 361(1), and 350 of the Lagos Direct Criminal Legislation, 2015.
All three defendants pleaded now not responsible to the costs.
Following their pleas, the DPP requested a trial date. “In glimpse of the defendants’ now not-responsible plea, I respectfully build a matter to for a trial date,” Martins stated.
Protection counsel instantly utilized for bail for the accused folk.
Counsel to the precious defendant, Dr. Abiodun Layonu (SAN), urged the court docket that a bail utility dated March 19, 2025, and an further affidavit dated March 3, 2025, had been filed on behalf of Owolabi.
He entreated the court docket to grant his consumer bail on liberal phrases, noting that Owolabi is a lawful practitioner without a prior prison document.
“He's now not a flight probability. I truly include labored with him and I'm willing to stand surety,” Layonu stated.
For the second defendant, M.A. Bashua (SAN) submitted that Akeju, a lawful practitioner of 34 years, had also filed for bail on March 4, 2025.
He stressed out that Akeju has no prison document and has developed extreme smartly being challenges since the commencement of the investigation.
“This is one in all these tests lawful practitioners face in their careers,” he added.
Tony Ejere, representing the third defendant, Ochonogor, acknowledged that his consumer is now not a attorney however described him as a first fee Nigerian.
He entreated the court docket to enable Ochonogor to proceed playing the administrative bail beforehand granted by the police, stating that the defendant is ready to stand trial and might presumably merely now not evade justice.
In a bench ruling, Justice Sonaike granted bail to Owolabi and Akeju on self-recognisance, with the condition that they each and each deposit:
“A N5 million bail bond within 14 days; their Name to Bar certificates with the court docket registrar within the identical length, and an affidavit of compliance within 21 days.”
The court docket also granted Ochonogor bail in the sum of N10 million, with two sureties in like sum.
The sureties must, and must demonstrate affidavits of manner, and provide three years’ tax clearance certificates issued by the Lagos Direct Govt
The sureties must even include their addresses and these of the defendant verified by the court docket registrar.
Justice Sonaike gave Ochonogor seven days to meet the bail conditions and warned that failure by any of the three defendants to conform within the specified timelines would lead to revocation of bail and remand in jail custody.
The matter was adjourned till October 13, 2025, for trial.
