Lukman Olabiyi
Lagos State Government has taken over the prosecution of a property developer, Alabi Tesleem Idowu, who allegedly defrauded 297 accommodation seekers in Ketu area of the state, from the Special Police Fraud Unit (SPFU) of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF).
The developer was docked before Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court, Lagos on August 11, on a 251- count charge of conspiracy, obtaining under false pretence and fraud.
The offences, according to the police prosecuting counsel, Chukwu Agwu, is contrary to and punishable under Section 1(3) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
The developer, however, pleaded not guilty upon arraignment and the court adjourned till yesterday for hearing of his bail application.
At the resumed hearing of the developer’s bail application yesterday, a Deputy Director in the office of the state Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP), Adetutu Oshinusi, informed the court that the Attorney-General of the Federation had issued a fiat to the state Attorney-General to take over the case file of the matter from the police for the prosecution of the developer.
Oshinnusi further told the court that by the virtue of the fiat granted to the Lagos AG by the AGF, DPP is empowered to prosecute the offender in Federal High Court, she therefore urged the court to grant her application to take over the matter from SPFU.
However, counsel to the developer, Mr. Jilji Jubrin, vehemently opposed the DPP’s application on the ground that the business of the court yesterday was for the hearing of his client’s bail application.
Jibril told the court that he had served the bail application of his client on the police earlier and also received a counter from the police. He, however, told the court that the DPP can take over the case during trial.
Responding, Agwu, who described taking over of the case file by the DPP as a good development, told the court that power to prosecute criminal cases rest at the bosom of the AGF.
Ruling in the parties’ submissions, Justice Nicholas conceded to the DPP’s request and adjourned the matter till October 10, for hearing and determination of the developer’s bail application.
In the charge, the developer was alleged to have used a renovated building, which is a room self-contained and room and parlour self-contained, located at Karimu Street, Alapere, Ketu-Lagos, to defraud the accommodation seekers of the said sum between January and June.