A 64-year-old pastor identified as Gabriel Olakitan has been dragged before an Ogba Magistrates Court for allegedly defrauding a businessman, identified only as Cornelius of N3 million in Ayobo, Lagos.
The accused who appeared in court yesterday, reportedly sold a plot of land which had been handed over to him by a London-based friend, Bayo, to the businessman for N3 million and had issued the businessman a receipt to that effect.
It was said that Bayo gave the pastor the piece of land to sell for N2.9m, but after collecting N3m from the businessman, Olakitan only paid N1m into Bayo’s account.
However, we learnt trouble began when Bayo came to Nigeria sometime in 2014 and reportedly stopped workers hired by Cornelius to clear weeds on the land for construction.
The case was then reported at the Area M Command in Idimu, where an agreement was said to have been reached that the pastor would refund Cornelius his money in instalments.
But Olakitan didn’t keep his end of the agreement and was re-arrested by the police from the Ayobo division.
Cornelius reportedly told the police that all efforts to reclaim the land or get his money back had been fruitless.
According to police prosecutor, Inspector E. Ayomide, while speaking in court said the accused was charged on two counts bordering on fraud.
The accused, Olakitan pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against him.
The presiding magistrate, Mrs. O.J. Awope, while granting him bail in the sum of N500, 000, demanded for two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case to August 12, for mention.
