EFCC Presents Two Witnesses Against Defendant in Alleged N19m Land Fraud in Lagos

 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, Ikoyi, on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, presented two witnesses, Ademolake Aminat Keji and Felicia Paul, in the ongoing trial of one Murtala Adebayo over an alleged N19 million land fraud before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja.

Adebayo was initially arraigned before Justice Mojisola Dada on January 24, 2024, on a three-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, to which he pleaded “not guilty”.

However, Justice Dada later withdrew from the case, following allegations that the defendant allegedly used falsified Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, documents and fake tax records to secure his bail.

The case file was subsequently returned to the Chief Judge and re-assigned to Justice Oshodi for the trial to commence de novo.

One of the counts reads: “Murtala Adebayo, sometime in 2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N4,500,000 (Four Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira) from one Gafar Abiodun Ademolake by falsely representing to him that the payment was for three plots of land at Ogombo Ajah, Lagos, which representation you knew to be false.”

Another count reads: “Murtala Adebayo, sometime in 2019 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained three cars, two Toyota Camry 2005 model and one Honda Accord 2006 model all at an agreed value of N9,000,000.00 from one Gafar Abiodun Ademolake by falsely representing to him that the payment was for balance payment of 18 plots of land at Ayogbemi Village, Ibeju, Lekki, Lagos, a representation you knew to be false.”

At the resumed sitting on Tuesday, the second prosecution witness, PW2, Keji, who is a daughter to the defendant, identified the defendant as her biological father and the family head in Ajah, Lagos.

Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, I. O. Daramola, the witness, who is also an officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS narrated how she and her husband had ventured into land investment based on the defendant’s advice.

She told the court that her father encouraged them to invest gradually in landed property and volunteered to assist them, despite their lack of experience in the business.

According to her, during visits to the defendant’s office, they met the duo of Ahmed Balogun and Godwin Richard, who facilitated payments and documentation relating to the transactions.

She also stated that payments were made through both bank deposits and cash, after which receipts and deeds of assignment were issued.

They were later advised to secure their allocated portions by erecting block markers, which required additional payments.

Giving further testimony, the witness testified that subsequent purchases were made after the defendant informed them he had eight acres of land available, leading them to acquire 18 plots.

She stated  that weeks after the transactions, the defendant requested that she and her husband purchase three vehicles for him, two Toyota Camry 2025 models and one Honda 2026 model, which were delivered to his residence.

“Attempts to take possession of the land later failed. He avoided our phone calls, and also failed to allocate the plots of land to us,” she stated.

According to her, family members intervened after she reported the matter to her elder brothers and an uncle.

She also stated that a former staff member of the defendant suggested similar incidents had occurred previously.

The witness further stated that when they revisited the land, block structures erected to secure their plots had been destroyed.

“After several unsuccessful attempts to resolve the dispute internally, my husband and I resolved to petition the EFCC,” she told the court.

According to her, the defendant ignored three EFCC invitations before his arrest.

She identified receipts admitted as Exhibits B–B2 and deeds of assignment marked C1–C3 and D1–D3.

The witness also told the court that another parcel of land later allocated to them was discovered, through a surveyor’s charting exercise, to belong to a different owner.

“Until now, my father has not given us a single plot of land,” she further said.

Under cross-examination by the defence counsel, Bamidele Ogundele, the witness confirmed that during EFCC’s investigations, her husband received N4.5 million from the defendant at the Commission’s office.

In her testimony, the third prosecution witness, PW3, Paul, an operative of the EFCC, identified the defendant and stated that the Commission commenced investigations, following a petition submitted by the nominal complainant, Gafar Ademolake, through his lawyer.

She stated that the complainant met the defendant in 2015 for the purchase of some plots of land located at Ogombo, Ajah, and Ibeju-Lekki areas of Lagos.

“The complainant paid N4.5 million for the land at Ogombo and another N14.5 million for the land at Ibeju-Lekki.

“The complainant also gave the defendant three vehicles, one Honda Civic and two Toyota Camry cars valued at N9 million, in exchange for land at Ibeju-Lekki,” she said.

Paul added that payments were made both in cash and via transfers into the defendant’s accounts and through his staff members identified as Ahmed, Richard and Godwin.

She stated that the EFCC, during investigations, recovered the sum of N4.5 million relating to the Ogombo property and returned the sum to the complainant.

According to her, documentary evidence of payments and acknowledgements by the defendant were obtained during the investigation.

She also stated that when the complainant visited the land at Ogombo, he discovered other individuals already occupying the property.

Justice Oshodi adjourned the matter to May 14 and 15, 2026 for cross examination.