The trial of two legal practitioners, Ademola Owolabi and Adebayo Akeju, alongside a property developer, Alex Ochonogor, before the Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, was yesterday stalled following a directive from the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to the police to reinvestigate the matter.
The defendants are facing a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy to commit forgery, forgery, and willful destruction of property.
The charges were filed by the Lagos State Government under suit number LD/23611C/2024.
According to the prosecution, the case involves the alleged forgery of land documents and the demolition of a property located in the Lekki area of Lagos.
When the matter came up before Justice Sherifat Sonaike, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Dr. Babajide Martins, requested an adjournment, informing the court that the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice had directed the police to conduct further investigation.
“The matter is not going on as the AG has directed the police to reinvestigate it. I would like to ask for an adjournment for a couple of months to enable the police to carry out the investigation,” Martins told the court.
Counsel to the first defendant, Dr. A. I. Layonu (SAN), and counsel to the second defendant, M. A. Bashua (SAN), did not oppose the application for adjournment.
However, counsel to the third defendant, Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), described the move as oppressive and an abuse of court process.
“We see this as oppression. It’s an abuse of court process. You cannot file a matter and then turn around to ask the police to reinvestigate it. The case shouldn’t have come to court in the first place if it had not been properly investigated,” Oyetibo argued.
In response, the DPP stated that the call for reinvestigation originated from the first defendant’s counsel and not from the state, denying any claim of oppression.
Justice Sonaike observed that she was aware that Dr. Layonu had referred to a letter indicating the need for reinvestigation, even though the state prosecution claimed to be unaware of it.
Oyetibo maintained that since the defence was aware of the letter while the state was not, it raised serious procedural concerns, especially as the police had already investigated the case.
Consequently, Justice Sonaike adjourned the matter till January 12, 2026, to enable the police to write to the prosecution and provide further reports.
