Land Fraud: EFCC Witness Says Omokamo Has No Ownership Documents

A witness called by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ahmed Gbigbadua, on Thursday told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the defendants in the ongoing trial of alleged land grabber Rebecca Omokamo Godwin-Isaac could not produce any documents to prove ownership of the disputed properties.

Rebecca Omokamo is standing trial over alleged land fraud, forgery of title documents, and money laundering involving Plot 4022 in Guzape and several plots in Katampe District, Abuja.

The case resumed before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, with the EFCC, prosecuting on behalf of the Federal Government, presenting two witnesses.

One of the witnesses, Ahmed Gbigbadua of the EFCC’s Extractive Industries Fraud Section, was led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Christopher Mshelia.

He told the court that the commission commenced investigation after receiving a petition from the chambers of Femi Falana, SAN, on behalf of Colleen Yesufu, concerning Plots 1861, 1862, and 1863 in Katampe District, Abuja.

The witness said that during the investigation into the alleged land racketeering, the defendants failed to produce any evidence showing that they were the original allottees of the three plots.

Mr. Gbigbadua told the court that May Estate Agency, Fafan Agency Limited, and Adamu Ayinloda Estate Company applied for the properties and obtained Rights of Occupancy and other relevant title documents, making them the lawful owners.

He added that one Shaka Braimah collected the title documents for the three plots from the Department of Land Administration of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Armed with those documents, the EFCC invited the defendants for questioning. According to the witness, Omokamo and the other defendants Homadil Realty Limited, Idakwogi Richard John, and Rychado Homes Limited failed to produce any documents proving ownership of the properties.

He further told the court that the defendants proceeded to sell portions of the land to unsuspecting buyers.

According to him, Homadil Realty Limited and Rychado Homes Limited issued offer letters, payment receipts, and other documents relating to the sales, but those documents could not be compared to genuine title documents issued by the Department of Land Administration.

Mr. Gbigbadua added that the defendants also failed to produce any documents showing that ownership of the land had been transferred to them by the original allottees.

He stated that there was no deed of assignment, power of attorney, or any other authorization for the sale of the properties since they were not the original allottees.

He told the court that the defendants misled members of the public by presenting themselves as the owners of the disputed plots and as persons authorized to sell them.

Earlier, another prosecution witness from the Department of Land Administration admitted that there was a letter authorizing the issuance of the properties to Shaka Braimah but informed the court that he did not know the whereabouts of the department’s copy.

Abdulhamid Wundil made the disclosure during cross-examination by counsel to the first defendant, Christopher Oshomeghie, SAN.

He said he was unable to trace the letter of authorization and admitted that it might have been lost.

The witness explained that the letter was issued in 2007 when the Department of Land Administration was still located in Wuse.

During the proceedings, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik dismissed an application by the EFCC seeking an order to remand Mrs. Omokamo in the commission’s custody until October 26, the next adjourned date. Omokamo was present in court.

The application came about 48 hours after the judge ordered the EFCC to produce her in court following her absence at the previous hearing on Tuesday.

Later in the proceedings, the prosecutor, Christopher Mshelia, informed the court of a pending application seeking the revocation of the bail earlier granted to Rebecca Omokamo.

He urged the court to remand the first defendant in the EFCC’s custody until October 26, 2026, the next date fixed for trial.

However, Justice Abdulmalik, in a swift ruling, dismissed the application, describing it as “personal.”

The judge held that the purpose of the earlier order directing the EFCC to produce the defendant in court was solely to ensure that she stood trial.

She added that there was absolutely no need to order her remand, as she had not posed any difficulty in attending court.

The matter was adjourned until October 26, 2026, for the continuation of trial and the cross-examination of Ahmed Gbigbadua, the fifth prosecution witness. Abdulhamid Wundil, who testified earlier, is the fourth prosecution witness.

Rebecca Omokamo had recently claimed on her social media accounts that she was locked inside her house for three weeks by EFCC operatives who went to enforce a forfeiture order granted by the court.

However, during the proceedings, the EFCC maintained that she remained inside the building by choice and refused to come out despite the presence of its operatives.

The commission’s counsel described the incident as a “self-imposed house arrest.”

Rebecca Omokamo was arraigned in June 2025 before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on multiple charges in two separate suits—FHC/ABJ/CR/76/2025 (17 counts) and FHC/ABJ/CR/77/2025 (five counts).

Her co-defendants are her husband, Isaac Yusuf Ishaku, Homadil Realty Limited, Idakwogi Richard John, and Rychado Homes Limited.