The Special Fraud Unit of the Nigeria Police has brought a 51-year-old man, Stanley Offor, before a Lagos State High Court, facing charges of forgery and the forcible takeover of a landed property.
Offor is being charged with four offences: conspiracy, forgery, illegal occupation of property, and forceful takeover of landed property.
He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The Police Prosecutor, Mr. Emmanuel Jackson, head of the legal department, requested a trial date and asked the court to remand the defendant until the trial begins.
In response, the Defense Counsel, Mr. Peter Madukwe, informed the court of a bail application that had been served to the prosecution. Madukwe requested that the court grant bail to the defendant under liberal conditions.
Justice Ismail Ijelu adjourned the case until February 17 for a ruling on the bail application, as well as to commence the trial.
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Earlier, the prosecution informed the court that Offor allegedly committed the offences with accomplices who are still at large, sometime in 2016 in Lagos.
The prosecutor claimed that Offor forged the signature and receipts of one late Mrs. Comfort Eruchalu, which were purportedly created by her to facilitate the sublease of her property to a third party.
Additionally, the prosecution indicated that Offor illegally occupied a property belonging to Cool Comfort Africa Ltd., located behind Atiku Abubakar Hall 3, Trade Fair Complex in Lagos.
He allegedly failed to vacate the premises after being ordered to do so by the property owner.
According to the prosecutor, these alleged offences violate Sections 2 (2) and 4 (1) of the Lagos State Property Protection Law, 2016; Section 516 (1) of the Criminal Code C38, Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2024; and Section 365 (1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
