Rivers Govt Testifies In Case Of Ibeto Vs Dozzy Oil Land Dispute

The High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital has continued sitting with Justice Adolphus Enebeli presiding to further hear proceedings on the civil suit filed against Dozzy Oil and Gas Limited and SunGreen Oil and Gas Limited (a sister company to Dozzy Oil and Gas Limited), filed by Cletus Ibeto, as the Ministry of Lands and Survey testified.

The Rivers State Ministry of Lands and Survey official was summoned to testify on the owner of the land and cross- examined.

Former Registrar of Titles, Ministry of Lands, Rivers State, Mr. Henry Uzor, took the witness box where he confirmed that he wrote series of letters to Ibeto including the letter that ordered Ibeto to return his Certified True Copy, CTC, of the documents that were certified for him in “error”.

It would be recalled that during the cross-examination of the claimant (Ibeto) by the defence counsel, Emmanuel Ukala, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), he admitted to receiving the letters from the State Government, but he ignored the government order.

Uzor, who was cross-examined by the defence counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, reiterated that Sungreen Oil and Gas Limited, Dozzy Oil (a sister company), is the rightful owner of the lands as contained in the State Lands records.

The witness said that it was the duty of Deputy Registrar of Deeds (DRD) to examine the location of the subject matter of the deed and reflect on all the information contained therein.

He told the court that a Certified True Copy of a document is the same as Original Copy, and the Registry Department in the Ministry of Lands cannot register a document with conflicting information and does not amend documents.

Uzor debunked the allegation put to him by the claimant’s lawyer, Ikpeazu, that he was one of the officials of the Ministry of Lands who his client (Ibeto) claimed that colluded with the defendant to cheat him.

Meanwhile, further witness hearing was stalled following failure of the second defence witness from the Ministry of Lands and Survey to be in court with relevant files. The case was adjourned till March 7, 2023, for continuation of examination and cross-examination.