Abodurin Gerald Abozo standing trial in connection with a land case before Justice Ismail Ijelu of the Lagos State High Court has been convicted for fraud and sentenced to eight years imprisonment.
Delivering the judgement, the trial judge found the defendant guilty as charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
He was charged along with S.G.B. & A Property Lines Company Line for obtaining the money sometimes in 2013 and dishonestly converted to his use the N62,000,000.00.
The EFCC arraigned the defendants on October 15, 2023 on two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretense and stealing the sum of N62 million.
According to the prosecution, the offence violates Section 1(3) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences 2006 and Section 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
He alledgedly obtained from Engr. Samuel Segher under the false pretence that he had two plots of land for sale at Chevy Estate Ojomu Chieftancy Family land, Lagos.
But he pleaded not guilty to the two count charges when it was read to him.
Subsequently, the prosecution counsel, M. S. Owede commenced trial, during which he presented two witnesses while the defendant testified in his own defence.
Counsel Owede however tender several documents including extra-judicial statement of the defendant which the court admitted in evidence.
The prosecution witness told court that the defendant was arrested following the petition received by the anti-graft Commission that Abozo fraudulently obtained the total sum of N62 million under the pretence that he had two plots of land to sell to him at Chevy-View Estate, Lekki, Lagos.
The witness further told court that the defendant informed him that he was the owner of the land.
The witness added that after payment, he wanted to take possession, but only to discovered that someone else was building on the land and all efforts to recovered his money proved abortive.
Thereafter, Justice Ijelu sentenced him to seven years imprisonment without option of fine on count one.
In addition, the judge sentenced him to one year on count two, ordered him to make a restitution to the nominal complainant the sum of N62 million.
