The
police have dropped the N130m fraud charges it instituted against a
former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu, before a
Federal High Court, Lagos.
Justice Mohammed Yunusa, in a
short ruling, struck out the charges on Wednesday upon an application by
the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Effiong Asuquo, for the withdrawal of the
charges against Ojikutu.
The police gave no reason for withdrawing the charges.
However,
the arraignment of the woman had been stalled twice in February due to
her moves to settle with the complainant, who was said to be the victim
of the alleged fraud.
The Special Fraud Unit of the Nigeria Police had charged her with three counts of conspiracy, fraud and stealing.
Ojikutu
was alleged to have in September 2011 conspired with one Sampson
Ojikutu, who was said to be at large, to fraudulently obtain the sum of
N130m from one Cajetan Okekearu.
It was alleged that the money
was obtained under the pretence that they possessed a plot of land to
sell at Lekki Phase 1, Victoria Island Lagos.
The complainant
was said to have later discovered that their claim of ownership was
false, since there was an already existing title to the land.
The
offences were said to contravene the provisions of sections 1(a) (iii),
and 8 (a) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences
Act, Cap. A6, Laws of the Federation, 2004.
She was also said to
have contravened the provisions of section 390(9) of the Criminal Code
Act, Cap. C38, Vol. 10, Laws of the Federation, 2010.
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