N130m alleged fraud: Former Deputy Governor of Lagos State asks court to stop arrest

By Bartholomew Madukwe

Former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Alhaja Sinatu Aderoju Ojikutu, has filed a suit asking the Lagos High Court to stop the Inspector General of Police, IGP, from arresting her.

Ojikutu, 67, and her son, Adebisi Ojikutu (Jnr), were both declared wanted by the Special Fraud Unit, SFU,  of the Nigeria Police Force. The police said that the former Deputy Governor had a case involving a fraud of N130 million to answer.

She  however, said the matter  which culminated into the police investigation was a civil case involving the sale of her late husband’s land at Lekki, Lagos.

Ojikutu said she sold the  land through her  lawyer, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, to one Mr  Cajetan Okekearu, adding that both of them (herself and Adebisi jnr) obtained their letter of administration at the Probate Registry of the Lagos High Court.

*Aderoju Ojikutu

The police had alleged that the former Deputy Governor and her son allegedly conspired and sold a parcel of land known as Plot 24, Block 4 situated at Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos for N130 million to Okekearu.

But Ojikutu’s Counsel, Pedro asked the court to declare that the said land described in the contract of sale dated October 6, 2011 and entered into by his client and the third defendant (Okekearu), belonged to her late husband, Mr Sampson Adebisi Ojikutu, pointing out that they were  the true beneficiaries of his estate by virtue of the Letters of Administration with reference No. PHC/2114/2010.

She then urged the court to declare that the IGP, Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar,  and the Second defendant, the Commissioner of Police- SFU,  Tunde Ogunsakin, were not empowered under any known law to interfere with any civil matter arising out of a breach of contract in particular.

In the originating summons brought pursuant to Order 3 Rules 8 (1) and (2) of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2012, the plaintiffs, among others, urged the court to determine whether the IGP and the Police Commissioner could legally, lawfully or validly convert the case into a criminal matter and proceed to declare the Ojikutu wanted or put her through any investigation whatsoever.

Furthermore, they then prayed the court to determine whether they were entitled to  the  said  land and whether  Okekearur, as a purchaser of the said land was under an obligation to make inquiries or investigate the  true ownership of the said property.

“Whether by virtue of clause 9 of the contract of sale dated October 6, 2011 entered into by the claimants and the 3rd defendant, the claimants are under obligations to indemnify the 3rd defendant in the event that the 3rd defendant incurred any expenses or loss arising from the transfer of title in the property as aforementioned. “Whether the refund of N50million by the claimants to the 3rd defendant was done in good faith and in compliance and partial fulfillment with clause 9 of the contract of sale dated October 6, 2011 and entered into between the claimants and the 3rd defendant,” Ojikutu stated. No date has yet been fixed for mention of the case.