Ogun monarch arraigned for alleged N75m land fraud

The Ogun State Police Command, on Monday, arraigned the Olu of Obafemi, Oba Taofeek Olukayode, before a Magistrate Court sitting in the Owode-Egba area of the state for allegedly defrauding one Michael Adeyemi to the tune of N75m and assaulting a police officer.

Oba Olukayode is facing four counts bordering on felony, fraudulent conversion, and assault.

PUNCH Metro reported on June 29 that some community leaders in the Agboro, Latunde, Olorode, Agbelu, Odedola, Akero, and Sagalu communities had accused the monarch of forcibly taking over 500 hectares of their land.

They had told newsmen that on 24 December 2023, some “hoodlums armed with dangerous weapons invaded our communities and started to clear our lands.”
The leaders had also claimed that “at the end of this exercise, about 500 hectares of land were cleared and pegged. This was followed by the arrival of bulldozers to clear the lands including all the cash crops like kola nut, cocoa, cashew, mango, palm trees, plantain, cassava, maize, and other food crops like vegetables, tomatoes, and pepper planted on them.

“The only source of water has also been damaged, and the road to the only public school (Sagalu Muslim School) fenced off.”

The police prosecutor, Inspector Fatai Moronkole, told the court that the incident occurred on September 18 and 20, 2024 at Obafemi town in the Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of the state.
Moronkole informed the court that Oba Olukayode had allegedly collected the sum of N75m from Adeyemi with the promise of selling 500 acres of land to him but failed to fulfil the agreement.

He added that when a police officer visited him regarding the matter, the monarch allegedly resorted to assaulting the officer and damaging his eyeglasses.

Some of the charges read: “That you, Oba Taofeek Owolabi Olukayode (M) and others still at large, between 18/09/2023 and 20/08/2024 at Obafemi town, Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, in the Obafemi-Owode Magisterial District, by false pretence and with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of seventy-five million naira only (N75,000,000.00k) from one Dr Michael Adeyemi under the false pretence of selling 500 acres of land to him, knowing this to be false, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 419 of the Criminal Code Law, Laws of Ogun State, 2006.

“That you, Oba Taofeek Owolabi Olukayode (M) and others still at large, between 18/09/2023 and 20/08/2024 at Obafemi town, Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, in the Obafemi-Owode Magisterial District, fraudulently took and converted the sum of seventy-five million naira only (N75,000,000.00k) to your use, which is the property of one Dr Michael Adeyemi, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 383 and punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code Law, Laws of Ogun State, 2006.

“That you, Oba Taofeek Owolabi Olukayode (M) and others still at large, on or about 21 October 2024, at about 08:30 am, at Obafemi town, Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, in the Obafemi-Owode Magisterial District, with intent to resist and prevent arrest, unlawfully assaulted one ASP Oriade David while he was carrying out his lawful duty, wherein his recommended lens, valued at Eight Thousand Five Hundred Naira Only (N8,500.00k), was damaged, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 356 of the Criminal Code Law, Laws of Ogun State, 2006.”

The prosecutor said the offences were punishable under the law.

However, the defendant, who was arraigned before Magistrate M.O. Somefun, pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
Upon his not-guilty plea, Magistrate Somefun granted the monarch bail of N10m with two sureties in like sum.

The matter was adjourned to November 25, 2024, for further hearing.