Court Dismisses Lawyer's Bid to Halt Lekki Land Dispute Prosecution

A Lagos High Court has dismissed a legal practitioner's attempt to halt his criminal prosecution concerning a disputed property in Lekki Phase I, Lagos. Lawyer Ademola Owolabi, principal of Ademola Adetokunbo & Co., had filed an application seeking to stop the proceedings.

Justice Olalekan Oresanya stated that the legality of the Lagos State Attorney-General’s legal advice, which recommended criminal charges, could not be settled through judicial review. Instead, these issues must be addressed within the ongoing criminal trial presided over by Justice Sherifat Sonaike.

This ruling paves the way for the prosecution of Owolabi, Alex Ochonogor of Bluecrest Homes Limited, and Adebayo Akeju of Adon Partners. They face a five-count charge including conspiracy to commit felony, forgery of land documents, and willful damage to property. All defendants have pleaded not guilty.

The charges stem from a dispute over a 1,139-square-meter parcel of land where rival ownership claims exist. The prosecution alleges that forged documents were used to obtain a replacement Certificate of Occupancy and facilitate transactions. The case originated from a petition by Dr. Obidigwe Eze, who claims ownership of the land and alleged irregularities in the Certificate of Occupancy replacement process.