Nwamere was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun on a 19-count charge.
The prosecutor, Mr. Morufu Animashaun told the court that the trader committed the alleged offences between 2009 and 2020.
He said the defendant, in a bid to forcefully and illegally take over shops, belonging to Chief Oyekunle Ogunbiyi, falsely deposed to an affidavit before one Queen Urauike, a Notary Public, claiming that he had lost the letters of allocation issued to him, his three relations, Gloria I. Nwawere, Marian C.Nwawere, Joy C. Nwawere, and Oyekunle Ogunbiyi, Basil C. Ibeh, by Ojo Local Council of Lagos State.
Among the shops the defendant allegedly claimed to have been allocated to him were: shops A70B, A70C, A70D, A70E, A71B, A71C at Fancy and Furniture Plaza, Alaba International Market, Ojo and shop A70J located at John Bros Continental Agencies Limited.
The prosecutor further told the court that the defendant made a false report at Ojo Police Divisional Headquarters, that he lost a letter of allocation issued to him by Ojo Local Council, in respect of shops.
The prosecutor also alleged that the defendant fraudulently executed Deed of Transfer in the name of one Chief Oyekunle Ogunbiyi, in respect of the shop’s Number A-71E, in favour of one Mr. Ifeanyi Udemba. Adding that he (the defendant) went further to fraudulently obtained the sum of N7. 005 million from Franklin Chinweze and Nwogu Anayo, for the sales of shops numbers A70, A70D, A70I, A71B, A71C, A71K, A71L and A71E, which actually belong to Chief Oyekunle Ogunbiyi.
His offences, the police said contravene Sections 115; 96 (a); 314 (1) (a); 363(2) and 287; of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2003, and are punishable under Section 314 (3) of the same Laws.
But, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following his not-guilty plea, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date.
He also urged the court to remand the defendant in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) till the determination of the charge.
However, the defendant’s counsel, O. Ola urged the court to grant his client bail in the most liberal terms, arguing that the charges against his client are bailable, adding that his client remains innocent until contrarily proven.
Ruling on the application, Chief Magistrate Olatunbosun, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties in like sum.
Olatunbosun also ordered that one of the sureties must be a landed property owner within the court’s jurisdiction, while the second surety must be a blood relation.
The Magistrate stressed that both sureties must show evidence of three years of tax payable to the Lagos State government.
He subsequently ordered that the defendant be remanded in NCOs ‘custody pending when he met the bail terms and adjourned the matter to November 29 for mention.
