Ex-AMAC official arraigned over land fraud

A former zonal land officer of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) was yesterday arraigned in an Abuja High Court over alleged falsification of land documents.

Patrick Tyoder Pillar was charged by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) with a two counts of causing the alteration of title documents of plot SS 1, Jikwoyi extension 111 to be made in favour of Pax Education Resource owned by his cousin Joseph Jande knowing fully that the said plot has earlier been allocated to Fine Trust Academy.

Pillar, who was also secretary rural land adjudication committee in AMAC, is charged alongside Lugard Edegbe who is now at large. According to the ICPC, the offence is punishable under section 26 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act, 2000. Following the plea of not guilty by the accused person, his counsel Terhemba Gbashima Esq, applied for bail. Justice Ugochukwu Ogakwu granted bail in the sum of N1 million and two sureties in like sum.

The judge ordered that the sureties must be public servants of no less than grade level 17 and must be resident in the FCT. The case was adjourned to March 19 for hearing.