Court Docks Business Mogul, Ibeto, In Rivers

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt and presided over by Justice Adolphus Enebeli, yesterday, put business mogul, Chief Cletus Ibeto, in the dock in further cross examination by the defence counsel, Emmanuel Ukala, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), in one of the suits between his companies and Dozzy Oil and Gas Limited.

Ibeto on the resumption of proceedings under cross examination, the defence counsel, Ukala, asked to know the size of the property in dispute, the location, the original owners from where he derived his title.

He stated that he needed to see the documents to know the particular land the defence counsel was referring to before he could answer the question.

However, the businessb was unable to tell the court the size of the property in dispute, but insisted that the subject matter was the land he purchased from Bundu-Ama community in Port Harcourt City local government area of the state.

Ibeto said, “The land I purchased that brought us to court (subject matter) was bought from Bundu-Ama community and not Nigerian Ship Builders Limited. I am emphasizing that the land, which is the subject matter of this case was purchased from Bundu-Ama community.

“The land I purchased is from Bundu-Ama community. It was not purchased from Ship Builders Limited. But, I purchased some portions of land from Nigerian Ship Builders Limited.”

LEADERSHIP observed that it was the presiding judge’s intervention that enabled him to accept that the document was in line with his instructions because he had earlier adopted them.

Ibeto, in the Suit No. PHC/268/FHR/2022 against Dozzy Oil and Gas Limited in one of the suits, is trying to defend himself on allegations of the sale of property that allegedly did not belong to him and other allegations of fraud, breach of trust and forgery against him reported by Dozzy Oil and Gas Limited to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He had, in the suit, which he joined EFCC as one of the defenders, sought an order to stop the EFCC from arresting and or investigating him whatsoever, in enforcement of his fundamental human right.

The criminal allegations against him and his companies bordered on obtaining N4.6 billion through false pretense from Dozzy Oil in the sale of a large expanse of land situate at Reclamation Phase 2 in Port Harcourt.

It was alleged that Dozzy Oil only found out that Ibeto’s title on the property was contrived, hence, the demand for the refund of about N4.6 billion being accumulated payment and cost of the transaction, which he ( beto) declined to refund. Dozzy then petitioned EFCC for recovery of his funds.

Dozzy Oil’s executive chairman, Daniel Chukwudozie, had alleged that he was approached by Ibeto (the applicant) to purchase a parcel of land situated at Reclamation Layout Phase 11 Port Harcourt, but only to discover that the property did not belong to Ibeto nor his companies.

The matter was later adjourned to February 7 and 8, 2023, for continuation of cross examination of Ibeto.