I didn’t forge documents on criminal proceedings against developer’

 ‘I didn’t forge documents on criminal proceedings against developer’

Lagos StateAttorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN) has said he did not collaborate with the police to forge documents to initiate legal proceedings against Managing Director of Masters Reality International Concepts Limited, Lai Omotola.

Onigbanjo said the lie was concocted by Omotola to forestall proceedings in a case of alleged forceful take-over of a land brought against him by the state.

He said Omotola was charged to court based on advice of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) issued by the police on conclusion of investigation.

The clarification was contained in a statement yesterday by the Director Public Affairs in the Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Grace Alo.

Omotola had accused Onigbanjo of using forged documents to prosecute him before a court.

But the statement described Omotola’s clams as ‘unfounded, false and a calculated attempt to manipulate and evade prosecution’.

Giving the facts of the case, Onigbanjo explained that the Task Force on Land Grabbing received a June 25, 2019 petition, initially accusing one Fatai Okesiji of ‘land grabbing, illegal encroachment and forcefully taking over possession’ of a land situated at No 63, Iju Road, Agege, Lagos.

A subsequent petition on the same land, dated September 28, 2019, alleged that both Omotola and Okesiji were the ones who illegally grabbed their land.

He also claimed that Omotola proceeded to make verbal accusations of corruption against Coordinator of the Task Force, Arole, but was told to put his accusations in writing to enable investigation. According to him, Omotola, on February 2 and 20, 2020, petitioned the Attorney-General’s Office and a committee was set up to look into the issues.

The statement reads: “After investigating the allegations, the Task Force found merit in the petition and restored the petitioner (Estate of Moshood Aremu Olatokunbo) into possession, having discovered that you, Lai Omotola and Fatai Okesiji, forcefully took over possession of the land, contrary to the provisions of the Lagos State Property Protection Law, 2016.

“The committee invited Omotola and the official accused to testify before it. At the end of its deliberations, the committee concluded that Omotola could not substantiate his allegations of corruption against coordinator of the Task Force.

“Dissatisfied with this outcome, Omotola proceeded to start harassing and intimidating Arole with all sorts of frivolous petitions, and he was dragged before Zone 2 Police Command, EFCC and IGP’s Monitoring Team, Abuja.

“Upon conclusion of investigations based on petition and cross-petition received by Zone 2 Police Command, from Lai Omotola and Estate of Moshood Aremu Olatokunbo, the duplicate case file was forwarded to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for issuance of Legal Advice.

“Finding that a prima facie case had been established, the DPP issued legal advice, dated October 27, 2020, which indicated that ‘a prima facie case of conspiracy and wilful damage to property and securing entry to property by violence was disclosed against Omotola.