A minister with Redeemed Christian Church of God, Ikosi-Ketu, Pastor
Jamiu Ishola Kolawole has been arrested and charged before a Lagos court
for allegedly defrauded one of his tenants, Dr Emeka Ugwunze to the
tune of N9 million in Lagos.
The incident
happened at 2 Gbagada Road, Gbagada, Lagos where Ugwunze rented an
apartment on a two-storey building owned by Kolawole.
The
defendant is now facing Criminal charge of obtaining money under false
pretence and stealing before Isolo Magistrate’s court presided by Mrs
O.A. Adedayo.
57-year old Pastor Kolawole, who was once
deported from abroad, approached his tenant, Dr Ugwunze and asked him to
pay seven years rent arrears because he was facing financial challenges
due to his deportation.
According to PM Express, about one
month later, he approached Ugwunze again and informed him that he had
hectares of land in his Ikorodu hometown and he needed money to perfect
the land documentation so that he would sell part of the land and use
the rest to build houses on the remaining.
Kolawole then told his
tenant that he wanted to sell his two-storey building, and use the
money to process the Ikorodu land document at the Lagos State Land
Bureau .
He explained to the victim that he did not want to sell the house to another person because he had assisted him in the past.
And
to prove how serious and commited, Pastor Kolawole handed over to
Ugwunze all the house documents to prove to him he actually wanted to
sell the house.
During the court proceedings, Kolawole admitted
that Ugwunze paid him the total sum of N9 million out of the N20 million
they agreed with further agreement that he would pay the balance at a
further date.
After obtaining the initial money, he disappeared and refused to sign deed of transfer to Ugwunze.
When
it was time to balance him the remaining N11 million, Pastor Kolawole
said he had changed his mind as his family advised him against selling
the house.
When Ugwunze requested that the suspect should refund
the initial N9 million paid to him, it was then he allegedly started
dribbling Ugwunze for almost seven years now.
The scam was reported to the Special Fraud Unit and Kolawole was arrested and charged to court.
He pleaded not guilty and was remanded in prison custody pending when he will perfect the bail condition.
During
the trial, Kolawole admitted that he actually obtained the money and
wanted to sell the house but reneged when Ugwunze defaulted by not
paying the balance.
He also told the court that he actually
handed the house documents and was unable to return the litigant’s money
because he took him to court.
The matter was adjourned till April 11, for cross examination and continuation of trial.
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