An FCT High Court in Abuja has sentenced a staff member of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Kinsley Eselebor, to 25 years’ imprisonment for obtaining money under false pretences and using forged documents to defraud a land buyer.

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

The court sentenced him to seven years’ imprisonment each on counts one, two and three, and two years each on counts four and five, with all sentences to run concurrently without an option of fine.

The prosecution established that Eselebor, an employee of the FCDA’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning, defrauded Moses Osinachi of money paid for two plots of land at Kubwa District Central Annex, Abuja.

The properties, identified as Plots 383 and 424, were presented to Osinachi as genuine, although Eselebor had no valid title to sell them.

The charge was initially filed in March 2021 with three counts of obtaining money under false pretences but was later amended to five counts. Counts one to three bordered on obtaining money under false pretences, while counts four and five concerned the use of forged documents as genuine.

According to evidence before the court, Osinachi and Eselebor were neighbours and worshipped in the same church. Their relationship, coupled with Eselebor’s position as an FCDA staff member, reportedly strengthened Osinachi’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 properties were genuine.

Osinachi reportedly sought further confirmation of the documents’ authenticity, but Eselebor assured him that they were genuine, relying on his position within the FCDA.

Based on the assurances, Osinachi transferred money from his company’s account, Moscow International Services Ltd., to Eselebor for the purchase of the two plots.

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

When confronted, Eselebor reportedly admitted knowing that the properties had rival claimants and promised to secure alternative plots for Osinachi, but failed to fulfil the promise.

Osinachi subsequently demanded a refund, but the matter remained unresolved as Eselebor’s explanations reportedly continued to change.

Dissatisfied with the development, Osinachi petitioned the EFCC, which investigated the allegations and subsequently arraigned Eselebor.

Reacting to the judgment, the EFCC’s Director of Criminal Litigation and prosecution counsel, Joshua Saidi, described the conviction as a deterrent to individuals involved in land racketeering and the use of forged documents to defraud unsuspecting property buyers.

Saidi expressed concern that Eselebor had allegedly used his position as an FCDA employee to inspire confidence in the transaction.

“This judgment has served as a deterrent to all these land racketeering, you know, these fraudsters, parading fake documents, defrauding unsuspecting victims. You understand? In this case, the defendant is a staff of FCDA. He paraded fake documents. And the court was also not happy with that attitude. Where is the trust? Yes, where is the trust? That means you are not safe, I’m not safe,” he said.