A woman, one Mrs. Martha Okaeben, who died and was buried purportedly woke up from her grave in Lagos, sold her house to a buyer, one Mr. Omoyemi Jones Olorunfemi, for N12m and returned to her grave. It was gathered that the buyer, Mr. Olorunfemi, had claimed that he bought the house located at 18 Ajoke Kazeem Street, Sunbo bus stop, Idimu, Lagos, from the owner which happened to be the late Mrs. Martha.
He also presented all the house documents bearing the deceased woman’s name including the survey plan, land owner family receipts, stamps, and other papers duly signed by the deceased to prove that he actually bought the house from her probably from her grave.
However, the children of the deceased also had the documents of the property which their late mother handed over to them before she died.
That became an issue between the two claimants – the buyer and the children of the deceased.
The matter was reported to the police at Idimu Division for investigation to determine the fake documents presented to the police between the two parties in the matter.
It was gathered that during the investigation, the police discovered that while the burial of the late Mrs. Martha was going on in the village, her brother, Mr. Pius Okaeben, secretly obtained documents and sold the property to Mr. Olorunfemi before the children would return from their mother’s burial and escaped with the money.
The police then trailed the 49-year old Pius Okaeben and the agent, one Waisu Agoro Olorunfemi over the alleged scam.
They were arrested and charged before the Ejigbo Magistrates court for conspiracy, forgery and stealing.
The police alleged before the court that the defendants conspired to sell the property by forging the documents and sold the property of the late Martha without the consent of the owner.
They pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Supol Kenneth Asibor, did not oppose their being granted bail but informed the court that the cost of the property in question was about N20m but they had already sold it for N12m to the buyer.
Thus, the Presiding Magistrate, Mr. T.O. Shomade, granted them bail in the sum of N12m with two sureties in like sum.
They were remanded in prison custody pending when they will be able to perfect their bail condition.
The matter was adjourned till 8th October, 2018.