Man, 45, docked over land grabbing, threat to life

A 45-year old suspected land grabber, Emeka John Onugha, was on Friday docked before an Igbosere Chief Magistrate Court, Lagos, on a seven-count criminal charge bordering on conspiracy, felony, willful destruction of building, forcible entry, conduct likely to breach public peace and threat to kill.

The suspect was dragged before Chief Magistrate Folashade Botoku by men of Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCIID), AlagbonIkoyi, Lagos.

FCIID in a charge marked B/88a/2018, alleged that the defendant and others now at larger, have sometimes in March, 2018, at Oko-Ado, in Eti-Osa Local Government Area, of Lagos, conspired among themselves and forcibly entered into a large expanse of land belonging to the duo of Hassan Ogwu Aku and Smart Clement.

During the said unlawful entry into the land, he was also alleged to have willfully and unlawfully demolished a building structure, which valued at N120 million, belonging to the two complainants. The accused also allegedly to have threatened to kill them.

The defendant and others still on the run were also alleged to have on the said date, conducted themselves in the manner that caused breach of public peace.

The Police prosecutor, Barrister Morufu Animashaun, alleged that the offences are contrary to and punishable under Sections 411, 52, 350 168 (b) and 56 (a) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015 and Sections 2(3) and 7 of the Properties Protection Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendant pleaded guilty to all the counts of charge.

The prosecutor told the court that the defendant was charged to court after the complainants wrote a petition to the inspectorGeneral Monitoring Team, (IGP Monitoring) under the leadership of Mr. Abu Sanni. The petition, he said, was carefully investigated and suspect found to be culpable.

Upon the plea of the defendant, the presiding Chief Magistrateadmitted him to bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties in the same sum.

One of the sureties according to Botoku must be a landed property owner within the court’s jurisdiction and that the sureties must obtain threeyear tax payable to Lagos State government. She added that all the bail conditions must be verified by the prosecutor. not the