From Everest Ezihe, Owerri
Mr. Lawrence Ozuzu, an Owerri based legal practitioner and a Pastor of Balm of Gilead Church International, Owerri has been accused by his kinsman and bosom friend, Chief Donatus Egbujor of fraudulently doping him of 3,300,000 ( three million and three hundred thousand Naira) for land deals that never existed since 2019 till date.
The matter which has been handled by Imo State Police Command, Tiger Based Section, based on petition by Egbujor as complainant, discovered an alleged conspiracy between Ozuzu and one Prince Ugoeze Odu for criminal intentions of obtaining through false pretences as the matter has been immediately directed to be charged to court.
However, Ozuzu who spoke to this reporter on phone on Thursday accepted that there are sour land deal businesses between him and Egbujor with the said amount but attributed the fraudulent accusations to the actions and inactions of one, Prince Ugoeze Odu of Iriamogu village Dindi Ihiagwa in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State, whom he said he bought the lands from.
Egbujor in his press statement made available to The Authority in Owerri informed that Barr. Lawrence Nnamdi Ozuzu of Umunnemoche Abazu Akabo in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State is a brother, bosom friend and his Lawyer as he himself hails from Amukachi Akabo of the same Council area.
According to him, “we have developed such age long relationship that I have no reason to doubt him and he doesn’t doubt me either. thus around June 2019, he called me and said he has a problem, that he doesn’t want me to loan him money, but rather he has a plot of land at Ihiagwa that he would like me to buy, to enable him sort out his problem. I asked him, how much is it ? He said, 1,800,000 ( one million eight hundred thousand Naira) only.I never bargained, I only asked him to show my younger brother the land.
“Rather than going with my younger brother as agreed, he asked one of his boys to go and show my brother the land, after seeing the land, my brother totally discouraged me from buying the land, due to its remote location, I said no, that am buying it just to help a brother and a friend who’s in financial need. I paid him the money in advance just for him to sort out himself, early enough.
“It was later in 2019, as I came home he brought a prepared Power of Attorney, in which he signed and I also signed. I never bordered about the land till 2021 when I had financial needs and I wanted to sell the land so as to use the proceeds to augment.
“I approached him to show me the land, which he agreed and took me to Ihiagwa, for over one hour, he could not locate the land and he pleaded that we should continue the search for the next day and then with the aid of his Surveyor, the following day, we repeated the same thing, even with the aid of his Surveyor, we spent over 2 hours in the bush, at the end, all hope was dashed as we couldn’t locate the Land for the umpteenth time.
“We grudgingly left and I asked him what next ? He said he’s going to meet the person that sold the land to him so as to assist him in locating the land. This he never did for more than 6 months, only to later tell me that the man he bought the land said he will give him another land in an exchange.
” I was pissed off and, I bluntly told him that, if it’s him, I will accept but for another person to give me such an offer, I will definitely not take it, however around December 2021, he called to tell me that he has gotten a good land for the exchange, I again asked him to show it to my younger brother, which he did, but my brother reported that the land location is very remote. I told him, I will accept it, just to avoid having problem with Nnamdi Ozuzu, the donor.
” I reminded Nnamdi of the need to give me fresh power of attorney, which he never did despite pressure, rather he called to alert me that a man whose land is very close to the one he gave me is in financial distress and wished I could buy it and join my own, so that it will be double plots of 100×100, out of my open mind and trust, I asked him how much ? He said 1,500,000=( One Million Five Hundred thousand Naira) only, I paid. The man brought Power of Attorney which I signed and he signed, copies given to me.
” But unfortunately, the land for which Nnamdi Ozuzu did an exchange for me, he bluntly refused given me the Power of Attorney till date despite efforts. Few months later, as I went to get possession of the lands, I was shocked to see that the two lands have been faced by another person, it now dawn on me that this my brother, bosom friend, Lawyer and Pastor under Balm of Gilead church have shortchanged and dupe me.
“Since then I have been calling Nnamdi to refund me my money or give me an equivalent land in Akabo, he was just avoiding me and behaving like kim kong. This his attitude prompted me to report the land scam to his friends, relations including his elder brother, Dee Hillary and Bishop of his church, who dropped phone on me, once I mentioned his name and the land scam. It’s annoying that Nnamdi is not saying anything meaningful concerning t6 refund of my money or replacement. This warranted me recently to take the matter to Police and the Police has established case of obtaining through false pretence(419) and I advised them to prosecute the case in court, which am happy they have done” he lamented.
Meanwhile, Barr. Lawrence Nnamdi Ozuzu, told this reporter that the information given by Chief Egbujor is false with a snag, saying there’s somebody called Ugoeze Odu of Iriamogu Village Dindi Ihiagwa in Owerri West LGA of Imo State whom he bought the lands, that if there’s any fraud been played on him, that the man is substantially involved
“it’s the man not him (Nnamdi) because he knows I cannot play any fraud on him, Odu Ugoeze sold land to me in Ihiagwa and I resold it to Chief Egbujor who’s my brother and bosom friend, and without any consideration he paid me but the land was bulldozed by government and government associates according to Ihiagwa people, am not from Ihiagwa neither do I live in Ihiagwa.
“Unfortunately, when me and Chief Egbujor went there, we couldn’t see our bacons, just like every other bacons there, involving more than 50 – 100 plots, so Odu Ugoeze agreed to exchange the plot for him, but we protested accusing him of land scam. However , he did the exchange and sold another plot of land to him in the area, thus making it 100×100.
” Surprisingly, when Chief Egbujor came for the possession of the land, half of the land was fenced by somebody else, we were quite aggrieved and Oga Ugoeze explained that it was a person the father adopted as a son who doesn’t know the boundaries that made the grievous mistake, but promised to compensate Egbujor by extending the plot’s boundary so as to make it 100×100 as needed.
“It’s at this juncture that Chief Egbujor became pissed off and got offended, he quickly demanded for an immediate refund of his money for the earliest one plot of land and the replacement of the latest plot. This is where we had problem and misunderstanding. Unfortunately, Ugoeze Odu was not forthcoming in fulfilling his promises prompting Chief Egbujor to write a petition to the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command using the Tiger Based Section.
“Police swoop into the petition and all involved where arrested and detained. At the Police Station, Ugoeze Odu accepted the liabilities and absurd me of involvement in any criminality in the matter at stark. I have been on the neck of Ugoeze Odu, mounting pressures on him that I cannot be alive to see that Chief Donatus Egbujor bought lands through my involvements and he has nothing to show.
“This morning (Thursday 18/4/2024), Ugoeze Odu called me and said he’s going to the bush this morning to curve out new plots of land to enable him replaced , Chief Egbujor non allotted 2 plots. This is the position we are now. Tiger Based Imo Police Command Section, really manhandled us over that and I have spent so much on this matter. Odu Ugoeze is the culprit not me.
“However, am worried that Chief Egbujor will today accept my explanations and tomorrow he turns around to make counter accusations against me. It’s obvious, we have been friends and brothers for more than 40 years. If he’s been offended he has every right to be aggrieved until he’s given what he paid for, that’s 2 plots of land, but to accuse me of fraud, or an intention of dishonesty, honestly, it’s another wonderful aspect of the story but by God’s grace we shall overcome ” he assured.
