Estate agent arraigned for selling church property

A 68-year-old Estate Agent, Samuel Adewunmi, was on Friday docked before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court in Lagos over alleged forgery of certificate of occupancy of a church property

Adewunmi was also accused of selling a landed property valued at N250 million, belonging to the Cherubim and Seraphim Sacred Mount Zion Church.

The accused is facing a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery and altering preferred against him by the police.

The prosecutor Inspector Haruna Ibrahim told the court that the defendant and others still at large, committed the alleged offences sometime in 2016.

He said that the incident took place at 310, Old Abeokuta Motor Road, Oja Oba, in Abule Egba area of Lagos.

Part of the charge against him reads: “Adewunmi and one other at-large forged a document to obtain a certificate of occupancy No 73/73/2014W, purportedly given a legal ownership of a property located at the address above valued N250 million to Theophilus Olusegun Abiona, property of Cherubim and Seraphim Sacred Mount Zion, which he knew to be false,” Ibrahim said.

The prosecutor also said that the defendant allegedly concealed a will and a deed by altering the rightful name of the owner of the church property, belonging to Cherubim and Seraphim to read Theophilus Olusegun Abiona which he knew to be false.

According to the prosecutor, the offences committed are Punishable Under Sections 411,362 (1) (a,b,c &e) (a&b), 289 and 290 of the criminal laws of Lagos State 2015.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the offence against him.

The Magistrate Mrs. Folashade Botoku granted him bail in the sum of N10 million, with two sureties in like sum.

She said that the sureties must be gainfully employed, show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government and have their addresses verified.

The matter was thereafter adjourned till August 28, 2018, for mention.

Credit: Independent