Court jails FCDA official 25 years for Abuja land fraud

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has sentenced an official of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Kinsley Eselebor, to 25 years’ imprisonment for defrauding a man in a land transaction involving two plots in Abuja.

Justice A.O. Musa convicted Eselebor on five counts bordering on obtaining money under false pretences and using forged documents as genuine, following his prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The EFCC disclosed the conviction and sentence in a statement on Wednesday, stating that the court imposed seven years’ imprisonment each on counts one, two and three, and two years each on counts four and five.

The sentences are to run concurrently, without an option of fine.

Eselebor, who worked in the FCDA’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning, was found to have defrauded Moses Osinachi of money paid for Plots 383 and 424 in Kubwa District Central Annex, Abuja.

According to the prosecution, Eselebor presented the plots as genuine despite lacking valid title to sell them.

The charge was initially filed in March 2021 with three counts but was subsequently amended to five to include allegations relating to the use of forged documents as genuine.

The court heard that Osinachi and Eselebor were neighbours and worshipped at the same church.

Eselebor’s position as an FCDA official reportedly strengthened the buyer’s confidence in the transaction.

To convince Osinachi that the properties were genuine, Eselebor allegedly presented two conveyance documents bearing the names Yusuf Lawan and Adegoke Asiwaju and assured him of their authenticity.

Relying on those assurances, Osinachi transferred money from his company, Moscow International Services Limited, to Eselebor for the two plots.

However, when he attempted to take possession of the properties, he discovered that Eselebor had no valid title to them.

The prosecution further told the court that, when confronted, Eselebor acknowledged being aware of rival claimants to the land and promised to provide alternative plots.

He allegedly failed to fulfil that promise.

Osinachi subsequently demanded a refund but, after the dispute remained unresolved, petitioned the EFCC, leading to the prosecution.

Reacting to the judgment, the EFCC’s Director of Criminal Litigation and prosecution counsel, Joshua Saidi, said the conviction should serve as a warning to individuals involved in land racketeering and the use of fraudulent documents to deceive unsuspecting buyers.

“This judgment has served as a deterrent to all these land racketeering, you know, these fraudsters, parading fake documents, defrauding unsuspecting victims,” Saidi said.

He added that misconduct by public officials could undermine public confidence in government institutions, stressing that the case demonstrated that fraudulent conduct would attract legal consequences.