FCMB For Arraignment Over Alleged Mortgage Fraud

An Ikeja High Court in Lagos State on Tuesday fixed March 11 for the arraignment of First City Monument Bank and three others over alleged forgery and mortgage fraud.

Other defendants aside from FCMB in the alleged fraud case are Okogun Polycarp, Batik Line International Limited, and Bolaji Adebajo.

Justice Ismail Ijelu adjourned the arraignment due to the absence of the defendants in court.

Counsel from the Police Special Fraud Unit, Daniel Apochi, had earlier informed the court that the defendants were informed about the arraignment.

He expressed displeasure over the absence of the defendants.

Apochi, however, requested for an adjournment to enable the court sheriff to serve the defendants formally.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the prosecutor filed a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy to commit a felony, forgery, and fraudulent conversion.

According to the charge sheet obtained by NAN, the defendants allegedly conspired and committed the offences between 2008 and 2009 in Lagos.

In the charge sheet, it was alleged that the defendants forged the signature of the complainant, one Grace Akinwusi, on several legal documents.

The legal documents allegedly forged included an authority to create a legal mortgage, a deed of assignment, an irrevocable power of attorney, and a memorandum of understanding.

It stated that the forged documents were allegedly used to fraudulently convert the complainant’s property, situated at 5B, Sasegbon Street, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos State, to their own personal use.

According to the charge sheet, the alleged offences violate Sections 287, 363, 365, and 411 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.