The Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Oshodi has declared
the sureties presented by a suspected land grabbing kingpin, Chief Kamorudeen
Lamina, alias Sir K Oluwo as unverifiable and thus unable to stand for his
bail.
The State Government, through the Special Task Force on Land Grabbers set
up by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration, had on June 16, 2017
arraigned Lamina and others before the court over alleged forceful
dispossession of residents from their legitimate rights to land ownership.
In his ruling after their arraignment, Magistrate Lateef Owolabi had
granted bail to the defendants in the sum of N1 million and two sureties in
like sum. One of the sureties must be a land owner in Lagos, while the other
must be a civil servant not below grade level 15. The sureties must have three
years tax clearance and registration with Lagos State Residents Registration
Agency (LASRRA).
The Magistrate had also ordered the defendants to deposit N150,000 each
with the court, while they are to be remanded in Badagry Prison pending when
they were able to meet their bail conditions.
But Lamina and other defendants have failed in their many attempts to
meet the stringent conditions of his bail, by presenting persons that the Court
has found to be unverifiable to stand as surety.
According to the matter, Lamina and his gang were said to have been
terrorising the people of Ikorodu area of the State for some time before he was
arrested on June 15, 2017.
Others arraigned alongside him included Mr Omotola Ogunsanmi, Mr Samson
Shobule (A.K.A Samson Salau), Biliaminu Orega (A.K.A Biliaminu Salau), Alhaji
Jimoh Aromasodu, Alhaji Wasiu Orenuga and Alhaji Nurudeen Kasali.
In counts one and two, Lamina, sometime in February 2017 in Mowo Kekere
area of Ikorodu Local Government, allegedly took over one plot of land
forcefully which was sold to one Mrs Ebere Okafor by Ifegbuwa family contrary
to Section 2 (1) of the Lagos State Properties Protection Law 2016.
The action was allegedly carried out by Lamina despite the fact that
the sale of the land had been ratified with proof of payment.
In count three, Lamina was accused of forcefully taking over and
remaining in possession of 200 plots of land in Mowo Kekere belonging to Planet
Properties Ltd contrary to Section 2 (2) of the same law, while in count five,
the defendants were said to have fraudulently sold 60 hectares of land which
had been previously sold by the rightful owner contrary to Section 8 (1) (b) of
the law.
The fraudulent sale, which was allegedly carried out in January 2017,
was perfected by the defendants fraudulently claiming to be the descendants of
Ifegbuwa family.
In count six, the defendants were accused of fraudulent selling 25
hectares of land to third parties without any lawful right to do so, an offence
punishable under the law.
The matter has been adjourned to July 13
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