An Abeokuta Magistrates’ Court handed a three-year imprisonment sentence to Benjamin Adegbola, a 55-year-old man found guilty of defrauding two families of N2.5 million by falsely promising to obtain a land survey plan for them.
Despite pleading not guilty to charges of stealing, fraud, and obtaining under false pretense, Adegbola was convicted on all three counts.
Magistrate Mr. S. S. Shotayo ruled that the prosecution sufficiently proved the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Shotayo delivered a two-year sentence for the first count, a one-year sentence for the second count, and three years for the third count. All sentences would run concurrently.
The magistrate also provided an option for the convict: refund N1.7 million to the complainants or serve the jail sentence.
During the trial, Inspector Evelyn Motim, the Prosecutor, stated that the convict committed the offense between March 2020 and August 2021 in the Oke-ilewo area of Abeokuta. Motim detailed how Adegbola, falsely posing as a registered surveyor, fraudulently obtained N2.5 million from Viadinu Todeuke and OkeOdebija’s families.
The prosecutor outlined that despite receiving the funds under the pretext of securing registered land survey plans for the families, Adegbola failed to fulfill his promise and did not refund the money. Instead, he diverted the funds for personal use.
The offenses violated sections 484, 390(9), and 419 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun, 2006.
