Admin I Tuesday, Dec. 05, 2023
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – Justice Adenike Coker of an Ikeja High Court has ordered an alleged notorious land grabber, Moroof Owonla, aka Kaka, to appear in court by the next adjourned date after failing to appear in two suits (criminal and fundamental human rights) linked to him.
The judge directed the defence counsel, Ms Oyetayo Eboh, representing Moroof in a fundamental human right case, to produce him in court on the next adjourned date being Jan. 30, 2024.
The counsel who appeared to be unaware of the criminal matter against her client, said she heard the defendant’s name during the call of the matter but was not sure it was her client, as she thought she was only called to appear for the matter on fundamental human rights.
Justice Coker noted that the Lagos State Government was working to bring multiple cases against any single individual together in a single court to give them a fuller perspective.
Moroof, had on Aug. 5, 2022, in the company of two others, unlawfully invaded a hotel situated in Ayobo area of Lagos and destroyed over 30 room apartments and other properties worth N32 million, .
The judge said that she asked for the court registrars to call the case regarding a fundamental human rights allegation against the said defendant on the same date to rule out all discrepancies in both cases.
“The Lagos State government wants to bring all cases pertaining to one person together to give the court a kaleidoscope view of the story. Cases about one person should be heard in one court,” the judge added.
Earlier, during the hearing of the first criminal suit against Moroof, the judge asked the prosecution, led by Titi Adeyegbe, to take all necessary steps to produce the defendant in court before the next adjourned date, Jan. 24, 2024.
The defence counsel representing Moroof in the second suit, Eboh, told the court that she was not aware that the case would come up before the Judge.
Justice Coker asked Eboh to take note of the connection of both cases and make sure the applicant is in court by the next court date.
For the first matter, the Lagos state government introduced a fresh suit against, Moroof, an alleged notorious land grabber, and other respondents, including Ganiyu Aminu and Olu-Aminu Yemisi Abdulasiz.
