Ex-Lagos Deputy Governor Wanted For N130m Fraud

Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu, former deputy governor of Lagos state has been declared wanted by the Police Special Fraud Unit (SFU), in Lagos, over an alleged fraud of N130 million.

Mrs. Ngozi Isintume-Agu, DSP, spokesperson of the unit said in a statement that Sinatu was wanted along with her son, Samson Ojikutu, who is now in the United States of America.

“We are investigating a case of obtaining the sum of N130 million by false representation perpetrated by one Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu and her son Mr Samson Ojikutu.

“Upon a petition from the DIG ‘D’ Department to the Commissioner of Police SFU, the petitioner alleged that in September, 2011, the suspects conspired and sold a parcel of land at Plot 24, Block 4, situated at Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos for the sum of N130 million.

“The petitioner claimed he paid the said amount into the former deputy governor’s account with the Union Bank in tranches. He further stated that after payment, he requested for title document.

“Alhaja Ojikutu procured an affidavit of support to back her fraudulent claim, a police crime extract and a publication in the Vanguard Newspaper of 18th October 2011, all purporting to evidence loss of the original documents of title to the land.

“The petitioner believed her because of her personality as a former deputy governor of Lagos State.

“The bubble busted when the complainant commenced development on the land and was on the verge of completion when the real owner of the land surfaced.

“It was discovered that the land the suspect sold does not belong to her. She actually sold Plot 23, Block 4, while Plot 24, Block 4, already has a property on it. Investigation revealed that the land she sold belong to one Mr Afolabi.

“It was also discovered that Plot 24, Block 4, which actually belonged to late Samson Adebisi Ojikutu Snr., the suspect’s husband, who died in 2008, was sold by him in 1995, and the suspect was a life witness and appended her signature to the sale of the land.

“The suspect further perpetrated the crime by alleging that the original C of O to the property was missing and swore an affidavit which enabled her obtain a Police Report and Memorandum of Loss.

“She also put up an advert in newspapers that the original C of O was lost, whereas the original C of O was with the Hallmark Homes, the buyer of the property, “ Isintumen-Agu said.

“The suspect and her son were parties to the sale of the land and both signed the agreement given to the complainant and obtained the sum of N130 million from him.

“She admitted the crime but confessed that it was a genuine mistake of plot identification. She refunded the sum of N50 million to the complainant and promised to refund the balance as soon as she disposed her two properties she put up for sale.

“She also confessed that she had injected the complainant’s money in her business. She equally made an undertaking for payment plan drawn between September, 2012 and November 2012, but defaulted due to lack of fund, “ the spokesperson said.

Isintumen-Agu said that the suspect was not ready to pay the balance of the money, adding that she had jumped police bail and had been elusive. She said that the unit was putting in frantic efforts for the re-arrest of the former deputy governor, calling those with useful information about her to report to the Commissioner of Police, SFU.

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