The arraignment of two lawyers, and a real estate developer, over alleged forgery and willful damage to property could was stalled yesterday due to absence of the defendants and their lawyers in court.
The defendants are facing a five count charge of conspiracy to commit forgery, forgery, and willful damage to property filed against them by the Lagos State government in suit marked LD/23611C/2024.
The defendants are Ademola Owolabi, the managing partner of Ademola Adetokunbo & Co., and Adebayo Akeju, who is a partner in a law firm called Adon Partners, Lagos, as well as a real estate developer, Alex Ochonogor, to November 28.
When the matter was called, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) of the Lagos ministry of Justice, Dr Babajide Martins announced his appearance.
He told the court that the Attorney General of Lagos State directed him to call a meeting on the matter. He said in view of the directive, the court should adjourn the suit to further date.
Consequently, Justice Serifat Sonaike adjourned the matter till November 28, 2024 for arraignment/further report from the DPP office.
Meanwhile, while the defendants have refused to appear in court for arraignment in previous dates, instead they petitioned the Attorney General of Lagos to discontinue the charge.
According to the statement of offence the defendants we alleged to have “conspiracy to commit a felony to wit: Forgery contrary to Section 411 of the Criminal Law,Ch.C17, Vol.3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.”
Particulars of offence states: “Ademola Owolabi (M), Adebayo Akeju (M), Alex Ochonogor (M) and others (now at large) sometimes in year 2015 at B604, Safe court Apartments, Ikate, Lekki, Lagos State in the Lagos Judicial Division conspired among yourselves to commit a felony to wit: Forgery.”
In count 2, they were charged with forgery contrary to Section 365 (1) of the Criminal Law, Ch. C17, Vol.3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
“Ademola Owolabi (M), Adebayo Akeju (M), Alex Ochonogor (M) and others (now at large) sometimes in year 2015 at B604, Safe court Apartments, Ikate, Lekki, Lagos State in the Lagos Judicial Division with intent that it be acted upon as genuine did forge an affidavit of loss of certificate of occupancy purportedly sworn at the Registry of Ministry of Justice, Alausa, Lagos State on 23rd day of September, 2014 to falsely indicate that the original of Certificate of Occupancy Number 36/36/1994W issued to one Hamza Al- Mustapha got missing.
Also, contrary to Section 365 (1) of the Criminal Law, Ch.C17, Vol.3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015, the suspects were accused of forging a Demolition Notice Number 0000025 titled “Audit of Illegal structures within Government Schemes Acquisition and Revocation Areas” purportedly issued by the Governor’s Office, Lands Bureau, Directorate of Land Regularisation, Secretariat, Alausa with the intent for it to be acted upon.
They were also accused of procuring a forged Memorandum of Loss of Certificate of Occupancy purportedly dated September 25, 2014 to falsely indicate that original of Certificate of Occupancy Number 36/36/1994W issued to one Hamza Al-Mustapha Certificate got missing as well as willfully and unlawfully destroying a bungalow located on Plot 10, Block 133, Lekki Peninsular Residential Scheme 1, Lagos State, property of one Dr. Obidigwe Eze, who resides abroad.
