A 48-year-old agent, Funke Manzuma, has been arraigned at a magistrates’ court sitting in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, for alleged involvement in a N50 million land fraud.
She was brought to court on multiple count charges which include forgery, obtaining money by false pretense, intimidation and criminal breach of trust among others.
The ‘victim’ of the alleged crime, Kolawole Tajudeen Olaniyi of Oloyan’s Compound, Ilorin, petitioned the commissioner of police over the matter.
According to the Police First Information Report (FIR), Funke was the agent of the land in question owned by Colonel Abdulsalam Usman but conspired with another suspect, Murtala Bawa (at large) to sell the land for N50m and share the money without the owner’s consent.
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“The complainant paid the sum of N50 million for the land through his lawyer, Taofeeq Ghali, who equally transferred the money to you through a GTB account.
“You, Funke Manzuma, conspired with one Murtala presently at large to sell the land which belonged to Colonel Abdulsalam Usman by presenting the buyer a forged document and shared the money between yourselves without the consent of the principal owner of the land,” the charge sheet added.
Gbenga Ayeni, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the police, left the bail at the discretion of the court.
Magistrate Gbadeyan Kamson granted the accused bail and adjourned to May 8, 2023.