Kemisola Oye
AN alleged land speculator (also known as land grabber), Ikem George Anagwu, has been arraigned before an Igbosere Chief Magistrate’s Court on a count charge of forgery.
The defendant was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Eniola Ogunkanmi by the operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID) Annex Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday.
Arraigning the defendant, the prosecutor, Barrister Morufu Animashaun, informed the court that the defendant sometime in 2021, at Oko Ado Village, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, forged the signature of one Kingsley Ehikioya, on a document titled ‘Deed of Assignment’.
He further told the court that the defendant fraudulently used the said ‘Deed of Assignment’ between an engineering firm, Nonskanin Engineering Limited and Kingsley Ehikioya.
He told the court that the defendant’s alleged criminal act contravened Section 365(3)(e) of the Criminal Law Chapter C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State 2015, and punishable under the same law.
But the defendant, Ikem George Anagwu, denied the allegation and pleaded not guilty to the one count charge.
Upon his not-guilty plea, the prosecutor, Animashaun, urged the court to remand him in a correctional facility and also prayed the court for a trial date.
However, lawyer to the defendant urged the court to admit his client to bail on the ground that the charge against him is a bailable one and that he has credible sureties to stand for him.
Chief Magistrate Ogunkanmi in his ruling, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of One Million Naira (N1,000,000.00) only with two sureties in like sum.
The Chief Magistrate further ordered that the sureties must be residing within the court’s jurisdiction and show to the court evidence of three years of tax payment to the Lagos State government.
Chief Magistrate Ogunkanmi while adjourning the matter to 29 September 2023, for mention, ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), till he is able to meet the bail terms.
The charge against the defendant reads: “That you Ikem George Anagwu ‘M’, sometime in 2021 at Oko Ado Village, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, forged the signature of one Kingsley Ehikioya ‘M’ on a document titled ‘Deed of Assignment between Nonskanin Engineering Limited and Mr. Kingsley Ehikioya and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 365(3)(e) of the Criminal Law Ch. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State 2015.”
Eighteen-Eleven Media