A 57-year-old bricklayer, Jonathan Onazi, who allegedly forged land documents and sold three plots, which belonged to his deceased cousin for N4.3 million, has been arraigned before a Lagos court.
Onazi was brought before a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court on a three-count charge of conspiracy, forgery and illegal sale of land.
He, however, pleaded innocence of the offences and was admitted to a bail of N1 million with two sureties in like sum.
Magistrate Olumide Fusika, who gave the ruling, said one of the sureties must be the accused’s relation while the other surety should be a community leader.
Earlier, Police Prosecutor Ben Ekundayo told the court that the accused committed the offences sometime in May at Ogombo Town, Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos state.
He said the accused conspired with a man to forge land documents and sold three plots which belonged to his late cousin for N4.3 million without the consent of the deceased’s wife and other family members.
“Onazi helped his cousin to get the three plots of land and he was allowed to stay on the land to prevent encroachment.
“After the demise of his cousin, the accused forged the land documents and sold the three plots of land which the family intended to sell and fund the deceased’s children’s education.
“The accused sold the land without the consent of the deceased’s wife and his sisters in whose custody the original documents were.
The offences contravened Sections 278 ( 1 a, b and c), 363 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Sections 278 and 363 stipulate three years imprisonment while Section 411 provides two years imprisonment for offenders.
Further hearing in the case has been fixed for Nov. 2
