By Gideon Maxwell
October 10, 2021
The Nigerian Police Force has filed a criminal charge before the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos against a Lebanese-owned firm, M. El-Kalil & Sons Properties Limited, and four co-defendants over the alleged forgery of a land title document.
The criminal charge, filed under suit number FHC/L/152C/21, has been assigned to Justice Daniel Osiagor.
The five defendants facing prosecution are:
Francis I. Uzoaru (58): Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Frank Harden Limited, located at No. 23/25 Martins Street, Balogun, Lagos.
Ngozi Giwa-Amu (58): Company Secretary of M. El-Kalil & Sons Properties Limited, located at No. 247 Moshood Abiola Way, Ijora, Lagos.
Obinna Chima (50): Legal Manager (Operations/Compliance) of M. El-Kalil & Sons Properties Limited, located at No. 247 Moshood Abiola Way, Ijora, Lagos.
Frank Harden Limited: Corporate entity located at No. 24 Issa Williams Street, Balogun, Lagos.
M. El-Kalil & Sons Properties Limited: Corporate entity located at No. 247 Moshood Abiola Way, Ijora, Lagos.
The arraignment was originally scheduled to take place on October 4, 2021. However, proceedings were stalled due to the absence of the presiding trial judge, Justice Daniel Osiagor, who was away on an official assignment in Abuja. Consequently, the matter was rescheduled for arraignment on October 18, 2021.
According to the official charge sheet, the police allege that between March 2003 and November 2020, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in Lagos, the defendants acted in concert and conspired to commit a felony.
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The defendants are accused of making and uttering a forged document, specifically a Deed of Transfer dated November 2, 1956. The document pertains to a prime commercial property formerly known as No. 3/5 Bankole Street, Lagos, and currently designated as No. 33 Balogun Street, Lagos.
The prosecution stated that the alleged act contravenes and is punishable under Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous¹ Offences Act, CAP M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004.
