A Lagos-based developer, Atanda
Abiodun, 43, of no fixed address has
been arraigned before an Ebute Meta
Magistrate’s Court in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria on a 54-count charge of fraud. Atanda Abiodun who operates with
the name BAIAT Property and Sons
was alleged to have used a storey
building at 9, Alhaja Ramota Street,
Egbeda, Lagos to defraud his victims. According to a police prosecutor, the
defendants committed the offences
between 20 October, 2010 and 31
January, 2011. He was said to have collected over
N12 million from prospective tenants
without providing accommodation for
them. But luck ran out on the developer
when he was nabbed by detectives
from the State Criminal Investigation
Department, SCID, Panti, Yaba, Lagos. One of the charges pressed against
him reads: “That you, Atanda Abiodun on 18 January, 2011 at Egbeda in the
Lagos Magisterial District did steal the
sum of N140,000 belonging to Miss
Yinka Talabi and thereby committed
an offence punishable under Section
390(9) of the Criminal Code, Cap. C.17, Vol. 2, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria,
2003.” Another charge reads: “That you, Atanda Abiodun on 18 January, 2011
at Egbeda in the Lagos Magisterial
District did by false pretence and with
intent to defraud, obtain the sum of
N255,000 from Akindamola Boride
and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 419 of the
Criminal Code, Cap.17, Vol. 2, Laws of
Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003.” Abiodun pleaded not guilty to all the
charges and the presiding Chief
Magistrate, Mr. Philip A. Ojo, admitted
him on bail in the sum of N500,000,
with two responsible sureties in like
sum. The sureties, he directed, must be
blood-related to the accused and must
show evidence of payment of tax to
the Lagos State government, show
evidence of means of livelihood and
have their addresses verified by the court. The case has been adjourned till 20
April, 2011 for trial. He was later moved to Ikoyi Prisons as
he could not meet the bail conditions
before the court closed for the day. One of the detectives who brought
him to court, who craved anonymity
told P.M.NEWS that the developer had
been arrested and arraigned twice in
August and December 2005 for similar
offences. Some of the victims told this medium
that the developer gave them
different names such as Ibrahim
Odunmbaku, Atanda Ibrahim, Atanda
Abiodun, Atanda Ibrahim Odunmbaku
and many others when he was collecting money from them.

Thief full this country.