Court sentences FCDA official to seven years for Abuja land fraud

An FCT High Court convicted Kinsley Eselebor on five counts of obtaining money under false pretences and using forged documents in a transaction involving two plots of land in Kubwa, Abuja.

A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has sentenced a staff member of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Kinsley Eselebor, to an effective seven years’ imprisonment for defrauding a land buyer with false representations and forged documents.

Justice A.O. Musa delivered the judgment on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, after finding Eselebor guilty on all five counts filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The court imposed seven years’ imprisonment each on counts one, two and three, and two years each on counts four and five, without an option of fine.

However, the judge ordered that all the sentences run concurrently, meaning the prison terms will be served at the same time. Consequently, the effective sentence is seven years, rather than 25 years if the terms had been served consecutively.

The prosecution established that Eselebor, who worked in the FCDA’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning, obtained money from Moses Osinachi for two plots of land, identified as Plots 383 and 424, at Kubwa District Central Annex, Abuja, despite having no valid title to transfer the properties.

Evidence presented before the court showed that Osinachi and Eselebor were neighbours and worshipped at the same church. Their relationship, alongside Eselebor’s employment with the FCDA, reportedly strengthened the buyer’s confidence in the transaction.

The court heard that Eselebor presented two conveyance documents bearing the names Yusuf Lawan and Adegoke Asiwaju to convince Osinachi that the plots were genuine.

When Osinachi sought further confirmation of the documents, Eselebor allegedly assured him of their authenticity, relying on his position as an FCDA employee.

Based on those assurances, Osinachi transferred money from his company’s account, Moscow International Services Limited, to Eselebor for the purchase of the properties.

The transaction later ran into difficulty when Osinachi attempted to take possession of the plots and discovered that Eselebor had no valid title to transfer to him.

When confronted, Eselebor reportedly admitted that he knew the properties had rival claimants and promised to provide alternative plots. However, the promise was not fulfilled.

Osinachi subsequently demanded a refund, but the matter remained unresolved, prompting him to petition the EFCC.

The commission investigated the complaint and arraigned Eselebor, with the charge initially filed in March 2021 on three counts of obtaining money under false pretences.

The charge was later amended to five counts, with the additional counts relating to the use of forged documents as genuine to establish the purported authenticity of the properties.

Reacting to the judgment, Joshua Saidi, the EFCC’s Director of Criminal Litigation and prosecuting counsel, said the conviction should serve as a deterrent to individuals involved in land racketeering and the use of fake documents to defraud property buyers.

Saidi expressed concern that Eselebor’s position as an FCDA employee had allegedly been used to gain the buyer’s confidence.

He said the case raised concerns about public trust when individuals employed by government institutions are found guilty of using their official positions to facilitate fraudulent transactions.

The conviction underscores the risks associated with land transactions involving questionable ownership documents and the importance of verifying property titles through the relevant authorities before making payments.