Few days after Raji Adepoju Family in Mokore village, Ibadan alleged that a former family lawyer, Olawale Daniel Ojoge duped the family of its property, another family of Soara Koleoso of Salvation Army road, Ibadan has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) over a N15million family property in his care.
The family head of Soara Koleoso, pa Isiaka Koleoso who spoke with our correspondent in Ibadan on Wednesday demanded Ojoge to pay the balance of over N3million family money remaining with him and return the documents of the family with him.
Pa Isiaka further said the family knew Ojoge through the family agent, Alhaji Alhaji Sufianu Ayinde Kazeem popularly called sukazeem who has been helping the family to manage it’s properties.
The head of the family alleged that Ojoge later informed him and other members of the family that Alhaji Sufianu Ayinde Kazeem has been hospitalized for a serious illness, therefore the money for our family property should be paid into his account, because he may not survive the illness.
He alleged that the lawyer disguised under the umbrella of Ojoge & Ojoge law firm which included his wife and children to perpetrate evil in NBA, which he urged Nigeria Bar Association to investigate and bring him to book, if found guilty.
The family representative noted that the power of Attorney was prepared for Sukazeem but Ojoge in his dubious wisdom changed the document to name of his chamber, believing that Sukazeem won’t survive the illness.
In some of the documents received by our correspondent, the family said though they were coerced to sign them, but the lawyer never knew the family is ahead of him with his gimmicks.
Pa Isiaka said Ojoge sold the family property located at 59, Salvation Army Road, Ibadan for N15million when the family insisted that the property should go for N20million and refused to allow buyer to pay into the family account but his own personal account as against Section 23, sub-section 2 of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2007.
According to him, when the family discovered it has been duped, his younger brothers wrote a letter to withdraw the power of attorney from the lawyer but Ojoge said he won’t release the letter to the family.
Pa Isiaka said; “We told him to pay into the family account but he lured the buyer and ensure the money was paid into his account which is not meant to be. I told him it was wrong but he said that was the practice. I asked him to take how own percentage and pay the remaining money into the family account, but he declined. Till now, we have not received the balance of the money from him. We have to report him to the EFCC what he has done for us.
“Some of my family members are now disrespecting me because of his dishonest. We appeal to him to remit the balance of our money and take his percentage. There is a landed property in Ojoo which we have asked him to sell for us, let him return it.”
Speaking on the demand of the family, Isiaka said; “we have some documents with him and we want him to drop them. There is a family land of about two and half acres of land in his care, documents of my personal property and my will are with him and he said he cannot release them. Nigerians should help us to appeal to him and get those things for us.”
Asking how the family is ahead of the lawyer, the family head said there are evidences with the family to show that he had done worse for them over the years.
In his reaction, the lawyer, Ojoge said the matter is at monitoring unit in Eleyele Oyo Police State Command saying the family should seek for justice there. He said he had problem with sukazeem who is the mastermind of the alleged fraud. He said he was employed as attorney to sell the property saying before selling the property, he asked them to swear to an affidavit.
He added that the property was sold for N15M against initial negotiation of N20M saying the problem started when the man sukazeem was demanding for his own share.
