Photos: 77yr Old Woman, 2 Others Docked Over N65m Land Scam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday
November 26, arraigned a 77- year- old woman, Alhaja Mulikat Shonekan
and two others: Martins Ogiogwa, 40 and Mujekanm Petroleum Nigeria
Company Limited, before Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of Lagos State High
Court, Ikeja on a 5-count charge that borders on conspiracy to obtain
money under false pretence and issuance of dud cheque.
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were
read to them.
Counsel to 1st and 3rd accused persons, Bamidele Ogundele, however,
filed an application for bail, asking the court to grant them bail on
the grounds of old age and heath condition; stressing that the
septuagenarian would not jump bail.
Also, counsel to the second accused person, Austine Akpomreta, tabled
a bail application for his client and prayed the court to grant his
request.
While opposing the bail applications, the prosecuting counsel, Anslem
Ozioko asked for a trial date.
Justice Ipaye however granted bail to 1st and 2nd defendants in the
sum of N5m (five million naira) and N10m (ten million naira)
respectively, with two sureties each in like sum. According to the
judge, one of the sureties for both must be a blood relation of the
accused persons who must show evidence of 3 year tax payment.
One of the count reads: "Alhaja Mulika Shonekan, Martins Ogiogwa and
Mujekanm Petroleum Nigeria Company Limited sometime in September, 2008
at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division with intent to defraud,
obtained the sum of N65,000,000.00 (Sixty Five Million Naira only)
from Kuta Stones Limited by falsely representing to Mr. Danladi
Verheijen, the Director of Kuta Stones Limited, that the said sum of
money represented the cost of 90 acres of land situated, being and
located at Kemta Ososun village, Odeda Local Government Area of
Abeokuta in Ogun State of Nigeria which pretence you knew to be
false".
The matter was adjourned to 3rd and 4th February, 2015 for trial.