Alleged Trespass: Valington Homes Rejects FCT Court Verdict, Heads To Appeal Court

The management of Valington Homes and Properties Ltd has rejected the judgement of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) delivered by Justice E. Okpe on June 26, 2024, over alleged trespass.

The court had ordered Valington Homes to pay a fine of N10 million for trespassing on a plot of land allocated to Adebayo Opabiyi by the FCT authorities, in addition to N500,000 in legal costs.

Dissatisfied with the verdict, Valington Homes has filed a notice of appeal and a stay of execution at the Appeal Court in Abuja, challenging the lower court’s judgement on several grounds.

According to Amb. Emaluji Michael Sunday, Media Consultant to Valington Homes and Properties Ltd, the FCT High Court erred in its ruling by not verifying the authenticity of the plaintiff’s land allocation documents, which was issued in January 2001, while Valington Homes’ documents were issued in March 2001.

Furthermore, Valington Homes argued that the plaintiff’s documents lacked a Technical Drawing Plan (TDP) and Survey Plan approved by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), while theirs had the necessary approvals, proving the actual ownership of the land.

The company assured its clients and friends that it was committed to resolving the matter through the legal process and ensuring that its actions align with the law and respect for property rights.

The appeal is currently pending at the Appeal Court in Abuja, and Valington Homes said it was confident that the appellate court will review the case and rule in its favour.

“We want to guide the general public and our numerous Clients that we the Defendant in the above mentioned Judgment that both “Stay of Execution” and “Notice of Appeal” has been entered to challenge this very unmerited Judgment of the Lower Court in favour of the Claimant – Adebayo Opabiyi which was Characterised with technicality in law and lack of fair hearing in line with Section 36 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria against the Defendant – Valington Homes and Properties Ltd,

“Based on the above facts, Valington Homes and Properties Ltd, hereby urge the general public to disregard the said Court’s Judgment and it’s award by ordering the Defendant to pay a fine of N10 million for trespassing on a plot of land allocated to Adebayo Opabiyi by the FCT authorities, in addition to N500,000 in legal costs and it reads…

“We as the Defendant have filed an Appeal before the Appeal Court Abuja challenging the Lower Court’s judgment. We have the confident that the Appellate Court will review the case and rule in our favour on the following grounds of law,” Sunday stated.