MICHAEL AKINOLA
The battle over ownership of a house between Mrs. Ebere and her estranged husband, Ezeani, took another dimension following an attempt to use fake Lagos State Government demolition permit to demolish the property.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the house in question, which is located at Oseni Liadi Street, Okota Road, Isolo area of Lagos, was said to have been jointly built by the two before their relationship collapsed and they started living separately.
While Mrs. Ebere lives in the property with members of her family, her husband was said to have relocated elsewhere claiming ownership because the agreement papers of the property bear his name.
However, the fight took another dimension on 12th February, 2023, when two men, Seyi Olaleru, 41 and Orukpe Felix, 38 and others now at large, went to the house in the morning and started removing the roof, windows and doors of the house with a purported demolition permit from the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning.
On interrogation, the men presented the documents and claimed that they had an order from the Ministry to demolish the property and ordered Mrs. Ebere to move her belongings or they will destroy everything inside the house while the demolition the property.
Not satisfied with their explanations, Mrs. Ebere then contacted the Police at Area D Command, Mushin, Lagos, over the suspicious manner the men wanted to demolish the house. The two men, Olaleru and Felix, were arrested and detained at the Command for interrogation over their conduct.
During interrogation, it was discovered that they forged the demolition permit from the Ministry of Physical Planning to effect the operation in order to throw Mrs. Ebere out from the house.
They were found culpable and subsequently charged before the Isolo Magistrates Court for conduct likely to cause breach of public peace, conspiracy and forgery.
They pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned.
The prosecutor, Inspector Solomon Mawari, then asked the Court to give a date for hearing since they pleaded not guilty before the Court to enable the Police to prove that they actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, I.O. Williams, granted them bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment.
They were remanded in custody at the Correctional Centre at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when they will perfect their bail conditions while the matter was adjourned till 19th April, 2023, for mention.