The Lagos State Excessive Courtroom sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Monday, August 25, 2025, has convicted and sentenced Sulaiman Olayiwola Gbajabiamila for property fraud amounting to over N31 million and forgery of a Sterling Bank Supervisor’s cheque.
Justice I. O. Ijelu delivered the decision, in accordance with a press release by the {Economic} and {Financial} Crimes Fee (EFCC) on Monday.
Gbajabiamila was arraigned on September 19, 2023, by the Lagos Zonal Directorate of the {Economic} and {Financial} Crimes Fee (EFCC) on a seven-count cost associated to stealing, acquiring by false pretences, forgery, and retention of proceeds of crime to the tune of N31 million.
Based on the EFCC, the suspect’s authorized troubles started after he was launched by an property agent, Lukman, to the petitioner, Lateef Adeyemo.
Adeyemo, who wanted to amass a flat in Lagos Houses within the Iponri space of Lagos, made funds for the property, however it was by no means delivered.
“Additional investigation revealed that the petitioner paid a complete sum of N31 million to Gbajabiamila for a two-bedroom condominium, however efforts to acquire the property proved abortive as he diverted the cash for his private use,” the EFCC added.
One of many fees reads: “That you just, Sulaimon Olayiwola Gbajabiamila, someday in 2021 in Lagos, throughout the jurisdiction of this Honorable Courtroom, with dishonest intent, stole and transformed to your individual use the sum of N31,000,000.00, property of Lateef Ayo Adeyemo.”
One other cost states: “That you just, Sulaimon Olayiwola Gbajabiamila, someday in 2021 in Lagos, throughout the jurisdiction of this Honorable Courtroom, with intent to defraud, solid a Sterling Bank Supervisor’s cheque no. 21664497 dated twentieth October 2021 with the worth of N10,000,000.00 in favour of STB Constructing Society Restricted.”
On the courtroom session, Gbajabiamila pleaded “not responsible” to the fees after they had been learn to him by the registrar, paving the way in which for a full trial.
The prosecution counsel, Abdulhamid L. Tukur, offered two witnesses and tendered a number of paperwork which had been admitted as proof towards the suspect.
The defence counsel, T. E. Gbado, finally prayed the courtroom to “mood justice with mercy.”
Delivering judgment on Monday, Justice Ijelu “convicted and sentenced Gbajabiamila to 5 years imprisonment on rely one (stealing), with an choice of N1 million fantastic; seven years on rely two (acquiring by false pretences); two years every on counts three, 4, and 5 (forgery), with the choice of N1 million fantastic on every rely; two years on rely six (utilizing false paperwork), with an choice of N200,000 fantastic; and 4 years on rely seven (retention of proceeds of crime), with an choice of N500,000 fantastic.”
Earlier within the proceedings, the protection lawyer defined to the decide that his consumer was remorseful and a first-time offender.
Nonetheless, the courtroom convicted the defendant according to related legal guidelines.
