Court Fixes Trial of Unlawful Invasion of Properties By LSDPC Officials
By Felix Kuyinu
The Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed further hearing of contempt proceedings application filed against some officials of the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation, LSDPC, for invading into properties unlawfully.
The accused are : Ayodeji Joseph, Adedamola Adepega who are both the body’s Managing Director and Company Secretary/Legal Adviser respectively alongside Olubusola Akinbiyi who is the Deputy General Manager/ Solicitor.
Others cited for contempt in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/805/2023 are: the Attorney-General of Lagos State, Registrar of Titles, Land Bureau, Lagos State, and Federal Land Registry, Ikoyi, Lagos
The defendants were sued by Owodipo Shonowo, Owodolapo Shonowo and Owokemi Shonowo and brought before the court presided by Justice Yellim Bogoro.
The complainants claimed that the contemnors acted in disobedience to orders of Justice Bogoro, which restrained them, their privies, agents and/or their assigns, and all other officers or servants under their control from interfering, selling, entering, acquiring, and dealing with or trespassing into the property at Plot 11 Akinola Martins Close, South-West, Ikoyi, Lagos State (now known as No. 1a & 1b Okunola Martins Close, South West ikoyi, Lagos) pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
The accused, apart from tampering with the land, were also alleged to have sold the property despite the subsisting order of the court.
The Counsel to the accusers, Adetunji Adeniyi, filed form 48 and form 49 against the defendants following their disobedience to the Court order and served it to them.
At the resumed hearing of the matter on Thursday November 30th, Adeniyi informed the court that the court’s business for the day was for hearing the committal proceedings against all the alleged contemnors, having been served with the hearing notice
He also told the court that the first contemnor just served him in court with his client’s counter affidavit to the contempt suit.
Counsel for the first contemnor, Tope Kolawole, told the court that he has filed his client’s preliminary objection to the suit and the same has been served on the plaintiffs’ lawyer, adding that his client, LSPDC has already joined issues with the contemnor.
Other alleged contemnors through their lawyers, which included, Kehinde Otiyemi, for Lagos State Ministry of Justice, equally told the court that they were yet to file their processes and asked the court for a short date.
Justice Bogoro, adjourned the matter till January 17, 2024, for the hearing of the preliminary objection to the contempt suit.