The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned two staff of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) over alleged property fraud.
This was made known in a statement issued on the EFCC’s official X handle on Wednesday.
According to the statement, the suspects identified as Folashade Oketope and Mohammed Usman were dragged to court by the Abuja Zonal Directorate of the EFCC on Monday.
They arraigned before Justice B.M. Bassi of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Jabi, Abuja, on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and corruption involving illegal sales of four Federal Capital Territory Staff Houses.
Count two of the charge reads: “That you Folashade Oketope and Mohammed Kabir Usman between 2024 and 2025 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, being entrusted with dominion over the Federal Capital Territory Staff Houses with House Numbers 3, 4, 7 and 8 of Plot 756 Abubakar Usman Crescent, Jabi District Abuja, dishonestly misappropriated or converted to your own use by unlawfully selling it to private individuals and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 311 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federation, 2004 and punishable under Section 312 of the same Act.”
Count three reads: “That you, Folashade Oketope and Mohammed Kabir Usman, between 2024 and 2025 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, being a public officers, did corruptly receive the sum of N5,000,000.00 (Five Million Naira) and N4,000,000.00 (Four Million Naira) respectively from Anthony Ezekwugo to facilitate sale on inducement or reward as your act knowing to receive and secure the arbitrary sale of houses number 3, 4, 7 & 8 of Plot 756 Abubakar Usman Crescent, Jabi Abuja, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8 (a)(ii) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and punishable under Section 8(ii) of the same Act.”
They pleaded “not guilty” upon which prosecution counsel, F.S. Mohammed, urged the court for a trial date and for the defendants to be remanded in a Correctional Centre, while the defence counsel, L. Ojinma, applied for their bail.
Justice Bassi admitted both the defendants to bail in the sum of N10 million each, with one reliable surety respectively.
The sureties, he held, must reside within the Federal Capital Territory. In addition, they must also provide evidence of ownership of a landed property in the FCT; depose an affidavit of means, and submit true copies of their recent passport photographs.
He ordered the remand of the first defendant in Suleja Correctional Centre and the second defendant in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the fulfilment of their bail conditions and adjourned the matter till October 21, 2026, for commencement of trial.