Bizman Kicks As Lagos AG Set To Withdraw Charge Against Alleged Land Grabber

By Steve Aya / posted June 11, 2024

A Lagos-based businessman and hotelier, Hassan Alli, has kicked against the attempt by the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro (SAN), to withdraw a criminal charge filed by his office against one Moroof Owonla, also known as Kaka Moroof over alleged felony and malicious damages.

The state’s Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had arraigned Owonla and two others before Justice Adenike Coker of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja over allegations of land-grabbing.

The DPP had filed an eight-count charge against Owonla and his co-defendants, Olu-Aminu Yemisi Abdulaziz and Ganiyu Amin, over an alleged conspiracy to commit a felony.

They were alleged to have forcefully entered a landed property at No 34, Faguson Osagie Street, Ayobo, Lagos, carting away building materials valued at N30 million.

However, the defendant has failed to appear before the court to take their plea after several adjournments, prompting Justice Coker to issue a bench warrant for their arrest on April 25, 2024.

But, in a surprise move, the Director of Public Prosecution, Jide Martins, who had earlier issued legal advice indicting and recommending the defendants for trial, filed a notice po pl pme of discontinuing the case on behalf of the Attorney General.

In the notice copied to the inspector General of Police and the court, Martins said the decision to withdraw the charge against the defendants was based on fresh facts recently discovered in the case.

In the Ministry of Justice’s letter dated 21st May 2024, addressed to the IGP, Force C.I.D. Admin Team 6, Abuja, signed on behalf of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, it stated that the ministry arrived at it’s decision to charge Owonla based on wrong information.

“From the foregoing, the only legal conclusion is that the Defendant has a valid right of claim on the land by the judgment and execution of the same which have not been set aside. Therefore, the defendants have no case to answer for any alleged occupation of the land at any time after the judgment and execution.”

However, Alli has described the move as an alleged ploy to deny him justice by Pedro, who he claimed was a lawyer to Owonla before he became the Attorney-General of Lagos State.

Alli also claimed that the development demonstrated the alleged bias of Pedro in the matter because the immediate past Attorney-General, Moyosore Onigbajo (SAN,) during his tenure, approved the trial of the defendants after the office of the DPP reviewed the report of the police and other supporting facts.

Buttressing his position on bias, the complaint showed a letter written by Pedro’s chamber relating to a land matter involving Owonla.

He further alleged, “Rather than present the defendants in court, the new Attorney General initiated a meeting which he tagged ‘RESTORATIVE JUSTICE MEETING’ as against arraignment of Moroof Owonla, and his co-defendants in Court and the ugly outcome of the meeting was further boasts before the Attorney-General that he has not committed any offence.

“I am shocked to know that the judiciary has become so weak and predictable by non-state actors like Moroof Owonla, who continue to perpetrate criminality and boast of his connections with people in authority, which is unhealthy for Nigeria’s judicial system and the justice Sector.

“I demand justice from all government agencies, all authorities in Nigeria, all well-meaning Nigerians who are in one way or the other affiliated to the justice delivery system in Nigeria including the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Lagos State House of Assembly Justice Committee, Federal House of Representative, Senate Committee on Justice, National Judicial Commission (NJC), Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) and the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA).

“I seek the intervention of all lovers of Justice to wade into this case to avert injustice kindly being meted out on me by improper discontinuance of the criminal infraction occasioned against my person by Moroof Owonla, who is boasting of his strong connection with the Attorney General of Lagos State.

“If this type of evil and injustice is allowed to have its way with me, it can also be the turn of any law-abiding citizens of Nigeria tomorrow,” Alli stated.