Lawyer Arraigned for N50m Land Fraud in Ondo State

Thompson Akinyemi, a former chairman of a branch of the Nigerian Bar Association in Ondo State, was arraigned by the Ondo State Public Complaints, Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Commission (SPFACC) in a Magistrate’s Court in Akure. He faces two counts of conspiracy and forgery related to a disputed property valued at N50 million.

The alleged offenses occurred on June 3, 2024, at Ore, where Akinyemi and two other suspects, currently at large, are accused of forging a land sale agreement and purchase receipt to defraud the rightful owners of the property, which belonged to the late Pa Samuel Oladele Ajero. The SPFACC claims Akinyemi and another suspect, Adefusi, sold the property in July 2024 for N50 million, forging the deceased's signature while he was hospitalized.

Akinyemi pleaded not guilty and was granted bail on self-recognition, with the case adjourned until November 20, 2026, for trial. Further investigations are ongoing, including potential arrests of bank officials and another individual identified as Tunde.