Justice

For giving false information against their business colleagues at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Pant-Yaba, Lagos, two estate agents, Lukman Kadiri, 55 and Anthony Folarin, 54, have been remanded in prison custody, by an Igbosere Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos.

They were ordered to be remanded in prison custody, after they pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy, giving false information, conduct likely to breach public peace, illegal conversion of funds, threat to life and fraud brought against them by the men of Federal Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCIID), Alagbon, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The two men were arraigned on Thursday, before Magistrate Y. O. Aro-Lambo on the said offences.

Upon their plea of not guilty, Magistrate Aro-Lambo admitted them to bail in the sum of N200, 000, with two responsible sureties each in the like sum.

Magistrate Aro-Lambo also ordered that the sureties must show to court evidence of three years tax payment to Lagos State government, with means of livelihood, and have their addresses verified by the prosecution.

The magistrate, however ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody pending fulfilment of the bail conditions.

The police in a charge marked F/70/2018, alleged that the two defendants, on April 13, 2018, at Abdulmalik Chambers, 13, Calcutta Crescent, Apapa, Lagos, and at the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (SCIID) Panti-Yaba, conspired and accused the duo of Mrs. Precious Ikedia and Mr. Sanni Saibu Arewa, of forgery, illegal conversion and threat to life.

They were also alleged to have given the men of SCIID, Panti-Yaba, Lagos, false and fictitious information against Mrs. Ikedia and Mr. Arewa, which led to the arrest and arraignment of Ikedia and Arewa on charges bordering on forgery, illegal conversion and threat to life.

The two defendants were also accused of accused of threatening the life of Mrs. Ikedia and Arewa. They were also alleged to have on February 7, 2013, of fraudulently received the sum of N320, 000. from one Mrs. Joy Smart, under false pretence of subletting a room and parlour self-contained to her, which they failed to do.

The offences against the two developers according to the prosecutor, are contrary to and punishable under sections 94, 95(1)(b)(c), 168(1), 412, 96(b), 56(1)(a) and 314(a)(b) and 314(3).

The two defendants pleaded not guilty to all the counts of the charge.

Following their plea, the prosecutor, Barrister Williams Tijani, urged the court for a date for trial, while also asked the court to remand the defendants in prison custody, pending trial.

Responding, lawyer to the defendants, L. O. Ederowaye, pleaded with the court to admit his clients to in the most liberal terms. He told the court that the defendants are still innocent of the charge, and that the allegations against them are bailable ones.

However, the presiding Magistrate, ordered that the two defendants be remanded in prison custody until the fulfilment of the bail terms.

The matter has been adjourned till November 16, for the commencement of defendants’ trial.