Trial of two federal staff over alleged N1.3bn land scam shifted to Nov

Justice Babangida Hassan of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory on Tuesday shifted the criminal trial of a former President of the Joint Federal Staff Cooperative Thrift and Loans, Mr Sunny Antai to November 14.

Justice Hassan shifted the trial after the first prosecution witness, Mr. Ndukuba Joseph, concluded his evidence and was discharged.

Upon cross-examination by counsel to the 1st defendant, Mrs J. O. Obono-Obla, the first witness told the court that he personally lost N1.4 million in the alleged fraudulent land scheme.

Joseph said he could not remember the exact date he joined the thrift society but noted it was in 2011.

“My lord, I am one of those who were duped. I paid N1.2m to the 1st defendant, Mr. Sunny Antai and I have evidence of the payment.

“I am retired presently, though I was self-employed. However, I am still a member of the Corporative.

“I bought the land in contention 11 years ago, which was 2011.

“I was told that the land was at a place alongside an expressway leading to the Airport. At a place called Gosa, which is after the market.

“I was told that it is located after Lugbe, on the way to the Airport. I, however, did not conduct a search afterwards because I trusted the defendant to be our President as of then.

“I admit that I was aware that there are a lot of land racketeering in Abuja but I had expected that the Federal Joint Staff Corporative Thrift Society is credible enough and would not engage in such racketeering, hence my decision to buy the land from them.

“My lord, each time I went to take possession of the land, the defendant was never there. When I eventually found him, I was told that the land was there and that the surveyors will come to show me the land”.

Asked if he was aware that the Federal Government later revoked the land in question after all the payments were made, the witness said: “My lord, I was not told so and I am surprised to hear this”.

On whether he was aware that the Cooperative Society under the leadership of the 1st defendant, had in the past, handed plots of lands to members of the Thrift Society in various parts of the FCT, the witness said: “My lord, I do not know about such”.

The witness said the defendant had before his arrest, refused to refund monies he collected from members of the Cooperative Society.

The charge upon which Antai is being prosecuted was dated April 12, 2019, and endorsed by Blessing Ezeala, of the Legal Section of the Nigeria Police.

Antai and one Emenogu Ruth Nwachi were said to have, on or between 2002 to 2015 conspired with the intent to defraud and fraudulently obtained the sum of N810,622,546.56K from members of the Joint Staff Cooperative Thrift and Loan Society on the false pretence to acquire land.

The offence is said to be punishable under section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

Counts two states, “That you, Sunny Antai and Emenogu Ruth Nwachi on or between the year 2016 to 2017, within the Abuja Judicial Division dishonestly and fraudulently, under false pretence signed and delivered a letter to Unity Bank of Nigeria plc, long after you have left office as President and Treasurer respectively of the Joint Staff Cooperative Thrift and Loans Society with the intention to cause the management of the Bank to believe that both of you are still signatories to the account domiciled with the Bank thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 5 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other related offences Act, Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004.

It was also alleged that Sunny Antai and Emenogu Ruth Nwachi, on or between the years 2016 to 2017, under false pretence and with the intention to defraud, impersonated to be the President and Treasurer respectively of the Joint Staff Cooperative Thrift and Loans Society long after they had left office thereby committed an offence punishable under section 1(2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other related offences Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.