Court Adjourns Arraignment of 2 Lawyers Over Alleged Forgery

A High Court in Lagos State has fixed April 29 for the arraignment of two lawyers and a realtor accused of conspiracy to commit forgery and willful property damage.

The lawyers were identified as Ademola Owolabi, the Managing Partner of Ademola Adetokunbo & Co., and Adebayo Akeju, who is a partner in a law firm called Adon Partners, Lagos. The real estate developer is Alex Ochonogor.

Ochonogor is the owner and Managing Director of Bluecrest Homes Limited, where Owolabi is also the company secretary.

The suit marked LD/23611C/2024 was filed against them by the Lagos State government.

Justice Serifat I. Sonaike adjourned the case following the absence of the defendants and their counsel when the matter came up for the first time on Monday.

When the suit was called, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Dr. Babajide Martins told the court that Akeju had been served the charge, adding that the other two were evading service.

“I know that they are aware of the matter today because they are sending emissaries to me. I will ask for an adjournment.

“If they refuse to come at the next adjourned date, we will apply for substituted service,” Martins said as he pleaded with the court to adjourn.

The judge acceded to the prosecutor’s request for adjournment and thereafter adjourned the matter to April 29 for the arraignment of the defendants.

The statement of offence in count one says: “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 state: “Ademola Owolabi (M), Adebayo Akeju (M), Alex Ochonogor (M) and others (now at large) sometime 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) sometime in year 2015 at B604, Safe Court Apartments, Ikate, Lekki, Lagos State in the Lagos Judicial Division with the 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,” the charge reads.

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 the original Certificate of Occupancy Number 36/36/1994W issued to one Hamza Al-Mustapha Certificate was missing. They were also accused of willfully and unlawfully destroying a bungalow located on Plot 10, Block 133, Lekki Peninsular Residential Scheme 1, Lagos State, the property of one Dr. Obidigwe Eze, who resides abroad.

Owolabi and Akeju – both lawyers – were accused of aiding Ochonogor, a businessman, in dispossessing Eze of his property known as Plot 10 Block 133, Lekki Penninsula Residential Scheme 1, Lagos State.