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Tag: Lagos High Court

  • Insurance company seeks order to stop sealing of property

    Insurance company seeks order to stop sealing of property

    Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja has been asked to restrain Ojora Chieftaincy Family, led by Oba Fatai Aromire, from allegedly trespassing on and sealing off a property at 243, Ijora Causeway, Lagos, pending the determination of a substantive suit.

    The application, filed on August 12, by Niger Insurance Plc (under receivership), Industrial Construction Company, and NIC Properties, through their receiver/liquidator, seeks an order to stop the defendants, their agents, or proxies from further harassing tenants or barricading the premises.

    The claimants said the premises house cold rooms for storing perishable goods, and repeated invasions have disrupted operations and caused financial losses.

    In the affidavit supporting the motion ex parte, Babatunde Ige, general manager of the applicants, alleged the respondents, “accompanied by palace security and armed policemen,” forcefully entered the property in August 2024, harassed occupants, and sealed parts of the premises, claiming ownership.

    The claimants said the case   was before Justice Odusanya, with a pending interlocutory motion filed on November 14, 2024, when, on August 7, 2025, respondents allegedly returned and completely sealed off the premises.

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    Ige alleged that to save perishable goods, the two tenants were compelled, “under duress,” to pay N50 million each  to the respondents for limited access.

    Even after collecting the money, the applicants said the respondents threatened to, again, deny access unless further payments were made.

    They contended that these actions were deliberate attempts to take over “by force” despite pendency of the suit, adding photographic and video evidence of the invasions had been filed before the court.

    They also accused the respondents of evading service, noting that substituted service was ordered twice, by newspaper, which the court rejected, and through their secretary, who allegedly refused the documents.

    Arguing the urgency of the matter, the applicants claimed that the’ conduct created “a real apprehension of imminent danger” of destroying the subject matter of the suit (the res), and that immediate judicial intervention was necessary to preserve the status quo.

    They prayed the court to grant the interim injunction pending the hearing of the interlocutory application, stating that any delay could cause irreparable harm to the businesses operating from the premises.

    The respondents are yet not filed their responses to the matter which has been assigned to vacation judge, Justice Rahman Oshodi.

    No date has been fixed for the hearing of the application.

  • Court reserves ruling in ex-Speaker’s suit against council

    Court reserves ruling in ex-Speaker’s suit against council

    Lagos High Court in Ikeja has reserved ruling in a case by former Deputy Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Chief Edward Ayo-Odugbesan, seeking an order to prevent Agege Local Government and two others from interfering with a property at No. 47 Old Ogba Road, near MKO Abiola Market, Agege, Lagos.

    Justice A.M. Lawal reserved ruling after hearing arguments from Dr. Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), counsel for the claimants, and Maruf Jimoh-Akogun, representing the defendants.

    The claimants, Edward Ayo-Odugbesan, his wife, Adefunmilayo, and Edwards Private School, sued Mr. Kola Ganiyu Egunjobi (chairman of Agege Local Government), the local government, and Registrar of Titles in Lagos State as first to third respondents.

    The claimants sought a court order to prevent the defendants from disturbing their possession of the property at No. 47 Old Ogba Road.

    During proceedings yesterday, Dr. Pinheiro urged the court to restrain the defendants from interfering with the claimants’ possession until the case is resolved.

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    He argued that the claimants had occupied the property for over 20 years without interference until the second defendant (Agege council), demolished the property without a court order.

    Dr. Pinheiro further noted that the demolition was based on a meeting at the local government and argued that parties must refrain from taking actions that could affect the subject of the litigation while the case is pending.

    He reminded the court that once a case is before a competent jurisdiction, actions that could prejudice the final outcome must cease.

    Responding, Jimoh-Akogun, counsel for the defendants, argued that by October 3, when the claimants filed Suit No. ID/8582GCM/2024 seeking to preserve the property, the second defendant had already taken possession of the land.

    He contended that the land was part of a larger area designated by Lagos State in the 1980s for the proposed Ajangbandu Market, which covered 1.698 hectares.

    Jimoh-Akogun further stated that due to the abandonment of the project, trespassers occupied part of the land, leading the Lagos State Government to revoke their occupancy rights in 1996.

  • ‘Collapsed Synagogue building was in perfect condition’

    The collapsed Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) building was in “perfect condition” before it came down on September 12, 2014, a Lagos High Court heard on Thursday.

    An architect, Dayo Fabiyi, told Justice Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo that the building had no crack nor any defection on its beams before the incident.

    Fabiyi, who described himself as a volunteer in the church’s maintenance department, said he was part of the team that investigated the beams after the crash.

    He testified as the seventh defence witness in the ongoing trial of two engineers and their firms for the incident in which 116 persons died.

    The defendants are Oladele Ogundeji, Akinbela Fatiregun, Hardrock Construction and Engineering Company and Jandy Trust Ltd.

    They are facing a 110-count charge of involuntary manslaughter said to contravene Section 222 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The fifth defendant, the Registered Trustees of SCOAN is facing a count of building without approval.

    The Lagos State Government said the trustees violated Section 75 of the Urban and Regional Planning Law of Lagos State, 2010.

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    Led in evidence by a defence counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN), Fabiyi explained that he worked as a volunteer in SCOAN’s maintenance department, “I go round the facilities to check if there are any sort of cracks or deflections on the beams and I did such routine inspection on the collapsed building last on September 14, 2014.

    “There was no sign of deflections or any stress on the collapsed building before it collapsed,” Fabiyi said.

    Under cross-examination by the prosecutor, Dr. Jide Martins, the witness said he was not involved in the investigation of the beams of the collapsed building.

    He, however, added that cracks and deflections were “always visible to the eyes.”

    Following a question by Martins, the witness said he did not use any mechanical device to check for deflections during his maintenance works.

    During “re-examination” by Ojo, Fabiyi said it was not only civil engineers that could detect cracks in a building.

    Mechanical devices, he noted, were only used to investigate deflections after a building had collapsed not before.

    “A deflective building must have shown signs that the building is under stress, the collapsed building did not show any sign of stress before it collapsed,” Fabiyi insisted.

    Earlier, the fifth defence witness, Mr Ebenezer Ologuntoye, an engineer, said apart from foundational failure, other factors could be responsible for a building collapse.

    Ologuntoye under cross-examination by the prosecutor said from his investigation “the building did not collapse due to foundational failure”.

    The witness said: “As a civil engineer, apart from foundational failure, other factors can be responsible for the collapse of a building”.

    Following a question by Dr Martins, Ologuntoye said he was never contracted by the church to do geotechnical work on the building before its collapse.

    Justice Lawal-Akapo adjourned till June 28.

  • Nollywood actress Monalisa Chinda’s tax case adjourned till October 10

    A Lagos High Court in Igbosere on Thursday fixed October 10 to resume the trial of Nollywood actress and producer, Monalisa Chinda-Coker, for alleged tax evasion.

    The trial should have resumed on June 5 but proceedings were stalled due to the Eid-el-Fitr holiday.

    Chinda-Coker is facing a two-count charge of failure to file annual tax returns and pay income tax on her company, Monalisa Code Productions, for six years.

    According to the charge, Monalisa Code Productions operates its business in Lekki, Lagos State.

    Count one reads: “Failure to furnish and file annual tax returns for the purpose of personal income taxation with the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), contrary to Section 94(1) of the Personal Income Tax Act 2004 (as amended).”

    The particulars of the count stated that Chinda-Coker “of Monalisa Code Productions, being a taxable person in Nigeria and carrying on business at… Lekki… failed to furnish and file tax returns on your personal income for the years 2011 to 2016.”

    Count two reads: “Failure to pay income tax, contrary to Section 56 of the Lagos State Revenue Administration Law of 2006.”

    At the last hearing of the matter on April 1, Justice Adedayo Akintoye renewed a bench warrant for Chinda-Coker’s arrest, following an application by the Lagos State Ministry of Justice.

    The state alleged that Chinda-Coker repeatedly failed to honour a summons ordering her to appear in court for trial since the case began in 2017.

    On March 5, the actress, in a statement through her lawyers, Emeka Odikpo and Associates, refuted allegations of tax evasion.

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    She said all businesses from which she earns income are based in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    The statement added: “Mrs Chinda-Coker further states that it is only her foundation, known as Arise Monalisa Foundation, that is based in Lekki, Lagos. The body is a non-profit organisation and thus does not pay tax by law.

    “Mrs Chinda-Coker states that sometime in 2016, when LIRS officials were dropping tax assessments around the premises of Arise Monalisa Foundation at Lekki, Lagos, they visited the premises and were told by the workers that only a non-profit organisation was operating there.

    “They advised that even though the business is non-profit, the head of the outfit should pay some tax based on self-assessment.

    “Based on the advice, she approached a bank and on self-assessment basis paid N100,000.00 for two years to the LIRS. She has also issued a tax card.

    “Mrs Monalisa Coker hereby restates for emphasis that the Rivers State government is the appropriate body that she is compelled by law to make income tax returns to.

    “She has, therefore, instructed her lawyers and tax consultants to approach LIRS with this information for necessary clearance.”

     

  • Court admits video of cleric confessing to beheading woman

    A Lagos High Court in Igbosere yesterday admitted in evidence, a video showing an Islamic cleric, Taofeek Adamu, confessing to beheading a member of his mosque for N4,000.

    Adamu, 61, of Masinowe Compound, Ikoga, Badagry, Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder, preferred against him by the Lagos State Government.

    Prosecuting counsel Mrs. O. F. Fagbai alleged that Adamu, alias Kiekie, cut the head of Oluwakemi Afolabi, 38, at about 4pm on March 19, 2017 at Waterside, Ikoga-Zebbe, Badagry.

    She said the deceased sought spiritual help from the cleric, “but the defendant beheaded her before removing other parts for rituals.

    “He was apprehended when members of the community saw him carrying a sack soaked with blood.”

    The alleged offences contravened sections 222 and 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, the court heard.

    At the last adjourned date, April 9, the prosecution sought to tender the video through the police as an electronically- generated evidence, but this was opposed by defence counsel Mrs. A. O. Ajayi.

    According to the prosecution, the video, found on the Internet, showed Adamu confessing to the crime during a press interview by former Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni.

    The video was copied by the police, transferred to a compact disc via a Hewlett Packard (HP) laptop on January 25, 2019.

    But the defence prayed the court to reject the video, arguing, among others that the document does not indicate the name of the officer that produced it.

    Ajayi said: “The compact disc itself says interview conducted by the press. When it comes to computer-generated documents, it tells you how it was produced. But in this case,… it also does not state the name of the officer. This is not permissible…”

    Responding, Fagbai argued that the paramount thing to consider is whether the actual document is relevant.

    “The prosecution has complied. I urge your lordship to discountenance the objection the defence raised, as this document we seek to tender is very important and the original is before the court, “she said.

    Ruling, Justice Akinkugbe upheld the prosecution’s argument.

    She held that the electronically-generated document complied with Section 84 of the Evidence Act and “is therefore admissible”.

    Section 84 provides that a computer- generated document shall be admissible as evidence of any fact stated in it of which direct oral evidence would be admissible and the period in which the document was generated, the computer was operating properly.

    The case continues on May 21.

     

  • Court admits video of cleric confessing to beheading woman for N4000

    A Lagos High Court in Igbosere Tuesday admitted in evidence a video showing an Islamic cleric, Taofeek Adamu, confessing to beheading a member of his mosque for N4, 000.

    Adamu, 61, of Masinowe Compound, Ikoga in Badagry, is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder, preferred against him by the Lagos State Government.

    Prosecuting Counsel Mrs O. F. Fagbai alleged that Adamu, alias Kiekie, severed the head of Oluwakemi Afolabi, 38, at about 4pm on March 19, 2017 at Waterside, Ikoga-Zebbe in Badagry.

    She said the deceased went to seek spiritual help from the cleric, but “the defendant beheaded the deceased before chopping off her other parts for ritual purposes.

    “He was apprehended when members of the community saw him carrying a sack soaked with blood.”

    The alleged offences contravened sections 222 and 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, the court heard.

    At the last adjourned date on April 9, the prosecution sought to tender the video through the police as electronically generated evidence, but this was opposed by the defence counsel Mrs A. O Ajayi.

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    According to the prosecution, the video, found on the internet, showed Adamu confessing to the crime, during a press interview conducted by former Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Fatai Owoseni.

    The video was then copied by the police, transferred to a compact disc via a Hewlett Packard (HP) laptop on January 25, 2019.

    But the defence prayed the court to reject the video, arguing among others that the document does not indicate the name of the officer that produced it.

    Ajayi added: “The compact disc itself says interview conducted by the press. When it comes to computer generated documents, it tells you how it was produced. But in this case,… it also does not state the name of the officer, this is not permissible…”

    In her response Fagbai argued that the paramount thing to consider is whether the actual document is relevant.

    “The prosecution has complied, I urge you lordship, to discountenance the objection the defence raised, as this document we sought to tender is very important and the original is before the court, “Fagbai said.

    In her ruling yesterday, Justice Akinkugbe upheld the prosecution’s argument.

    She held that the electronically generated document complied with Section 84 of the Evidence Act and “is therefore admissible”.

    Section 84 provides that a computer generated document shall be admissible as evidence of any fact stated in it of which direct oral evidence would be admissible and the period, in which the document was generated, the computer was operating properly.

    The case continues on May 21.

  • Cook jailed for killing brother over meat

    A Lagos High Court  yesterday sentenced to 14 years in prison, a cook, Janet James, for beating to death her eight-year-old brother, Saviour, for stealing a piece of  meat from a pot of soup in 2009.

    Justice Adedayo Akintoye convicted James, 34, after she pleaded guilty to an amended one-count charge of manslaughter.

    The sentence will take effect from August 21, 2009 when the convict was remanded by a magistrates’ court.

    The judge said the defendant struck a plea bargain deal with the prosecution last Monday, adding that she pleaded guilty to an amended charge of manslaughter. The case was transferred to the court in 2013.

    Justice Akintoye said: “The sentence and plea bargain agreement state as follows:

    * Defendant has shown remorse for the offence of manslaughter committed on August 10, 2009 against the person of Saviour James.

    * The defendant pleads guilty to the offence as charged.

    * The defendant has agreed to serve 14 years jail term from the date of remand by this honourable court.

    * The defendant gives an undertaking to be of good behaviour, upon completion of the jail term.

    “In view of this, therefore, the defendant, Janet James, is hereby found guilty of manslaughter contrary to Section 317 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2003, and is accordingly convicted of same.

    “I have taken into consideration that this is a 2013 case. I have also been guided by the plea and sentencing agreement entered into by the prosecution, the defendant, Janet James and the defence counsel.

    “I note also the fact that the defendant has been in remand custody for many years. As a result, therefore, the defendant, Janet James, is hereby sentenced to a term of 14 years. The term of imprisonment is to run from the date of remand, which is August  21, 2009. This is the judgment of the court.”

    James committed the offence on August 10, 2009 in  Ilupeju, Lagos.

    In her confessional statement, she said: “I carried him (the deceased) on my back and walked a long distance before throwing him across the fence. I decided to dump him there because the offices had long been closed.

    ”He always stole. I even warned him when I went to the village to pick him. I beat him on Monday night at about 8pm, after warnings not to steal meat from the pot failed. I hit him with this little pestle (turning stick). But he did not die on the spot. At about 11pm, he woke up to urinate.

    “But when I woke up at about 2am, I discovered he was foaming at the mouth. I called him, but there was no response. I tried opening his mouth and even hit him, yet there was no movement.

    “Then I waited until about 5am before carrying him on my back. I dumped him on the premises of an insurance firm and returned home.”

  • Cook jailed 14 years for beating brother to death over meat

    A Lagos High Court in Igbosere on Monday sentenced to 14 years imprisonment, a cook, Janet James, who beat her eight-year-old brother Saviour Effiong James to death for stealing meat from a pot of soup on August 10, 2009.

    Justice Adedayo Akintoye convicted James, 34, following her plea of guilty to an amended one-count charge of manslaughter.

    The judge said the 14-year imprisonment will take effect from August 21, 2009 when the James was remanded by a magistrates’ court.

    She noted that the defendant entered a plea bargain agreement with the prosecution last Monday at the high court, where the case was transferred to in 2013, and that she pleaded guilty to an amended charge of manslaughter.

    She said: “The sentence and plea bargain agreement states as follows:

    1. Defendant has shown remorse for the offence of manslaughter committed on the 10th day of August 2009 against the person of one Saviour Effiong
    2. The defendant pleads guilty to the offence as charged.
    3. The defendant has agreed to serve 14 years jail term from the date of remand by this honourable court.
    4. The defendant gives an undertaking to be of good behaviour, upon the completion of the jail term

    “In view of this therefore, the defendant, Janet James, is hereby found guilty of manslaughter contrary to Section 317 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2003, and is accordingly convicted of same.

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    “I have taken into consideration that this is a 2013 case. I have also been guided by the plea and sentencing agreement entered into by the prosecution, the defendant Janet James and the defence counsel.

    “I note also the fact that the defendant has been in remand custody for many years. As a result therefore, the defendant Janet James is hereby sentenced to a term of 14 years. The term of imprisonment is to run from the date of remand, which is August 21st 2009. This is the judgment of the court.”

    During the trial, prosecution counsel Mrs Abiola Gbadamosi told the court that James committed the offence at about 8pm on August 10, 2009 in the Ilupeju area of Lagos State

    Gbadamosi said the convict killed Saviour James by beating him with a turning stick after accusing him of stealing meat from a pot of soup. She then dumped his body in the premises of an insurance company in Ilupeju.

    In his confessional statement to the police, admitted in court following her plea, James said: “I carried him (the deceased) on my back and walked a long distance before throwing him across the fence. I decided to dump him there because the offices had long been closed.

    “He used to steal. I even warned him when I went to the village to pick him. I beat him on Monday night at about 8pm after several warnings not to steal meat from the pot failed. I hit him with this little pestle (turning stick). But he did not die on the spot. At about 11pm, he woke up to urinate.

    “But when I woke up at about 2am, I discovered he was foaming at the mouth. I called him but there was no response. I tried opening his mouth and even hit him yet there was no movement.

    “Then I waited until about 5am before carrying him on my back and dumped him inside the premises of insurance firm and returned home.”

  • Breaking: Again, court orders Jay Jay Okocha’s arrest for tax evasion

    A Lagos High Court in Igbosere has renewed a bench warrant for the arrest of former Super Eagles captain, Augustine Jay-Jay Okocha for alleged tax evasion.

    Justice Adedayo Akintoye made the order following Okocha’s alleged failure to settle a 2017 income tax evasion case brought against him by the Lagos State Government.

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    The judge first made the order on January 29, following an application by the Lagos State Ministry of Justice.

    The ministry told the court that Okocha had also failed to appear in court since 2017 when the case was filed against him.

     

    Details shortly…

     

  • Hubby’s death: Court rejects wife’s motion on confessional statement

    A Lagos High Court on Thursday dismissed an application, praying it to reject the  confessional statement of a lawyer, Udeme Otike-Odibi, accused of killing her husband, Symphorosa, last May 3.

    Justice Adedayo Akintoye held that Otike-Odibi’s request, through her lawyer,  Oluseye Banjoko, did not satisfy the requirements of the law.

    The judge rejected the defendant’s prayer that a trial-within-trial should not be conducted to ascertain how the statement was obtained.

    She fixed the trial for May 23 to determine whether the  statement allegedly obtained from the defendant by the police last May 4 should be admitted in evidence.

    According to Banjoko, the statement was invalid because it was  made in her lawyer’s absence  and without being videoed, as required by law, among other reasons.

    He relied on Section 93 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) of Lagos State, 2015 and Section 35(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    Dismissing the application, Justice Akintoye held: “This court does not find that the said confessional statement was obtained contrary to Section 93 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL).”

    The court also considered Section 35(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which provides that a person accused or detained has a right to remain silent or avoid answering any question until such person has consulted a lawyer.

    Justice Akintoye said: “The defence counsel has not been able to establish that the defendant was not given the option to remain silent or to avoid answering any question until after consultation with a legal practitioner or any other person of her choice. This has not been proved to be so. He who asserts must prove…

    “It is also important to point out that the defendant, of all people, was well aware of her right, being a lawyer herself and as such, could have decided not to speak to any police officer.

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    “To now imply that she is not aware of her rights or that the police forced her to speak, appears to be very far-fetched to this court.

    “The end result is that I do not find that the confessional statement being sought to be tendered has in any way contravened Section 93 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) of Lagos State, 2015 or Section 35(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    “The prayer for an order rejecting the confessional statement for having been procured contrary to the above stated laws is hereby refused…the motion…is hereby dismissed.”

    Otike-Odibi was arraigned last June 13, on a two-count charge of murder and misconduct with regard to a body.

    She is accused of stabbing her husband, Symphorosa,  also a lawyer,  to death and cutting his manhood last May 3 at their Diamond Estate, Sangotedo, Lekki, Lagos, home.

    On January 23, a prosecution witness, Olusegun Bamidele, told the court that Otike-Odibi, 48, hit Symphorosa on the head with a frying pan several times before stabbing him in the stomach with a kitchen knife.

    Bamidele said Otike-Odibi told him that she then sat beside her husband’s body on the bed and said: “‘If this your manhood is the one that is giving you licence not to have the feeling of another person, it’s better we cut it off,” which she proceeded to do before putting a piece of it in his right hand.

    The witness, an Assistant Superintendent in the Homicide Section, State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Panti, Yaba, said he recorded her statements with her approval, after cautioning her.

    But when Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Titilayo Shitta-Bey sought to tender Otike-Odibi’s two statements, Banjoko opposed her, following which the judge ordered a trial- within-trial to determine the statements’ admissibility.

    But on February 25, Otike-Odibi brought an application  to stop the trial. Rather, he urged it to reject the confessional statements.