Nigeria Police Says Ayeni’s Allegations against Okunbo Baseless, Malicious, False

The police have cleared business mogul, Capt. Hosa Okunbo, of an allegation of theft and criminal diversion of company funds brought against him by his erstwhile business partner, Dr. Tunde Ayeni, saying the petition of the latter could not be established.

Ayeni had through his lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), filed a petition on December 7, 2020, with the police accusing Okunbo of theft of the funds of Ocean Marine Solutions Limited, a company they, in company with others, had formed.

But the police in a letter to Okunbo’s lawyer, Mr. Augustine Alegeh (SAN), copied to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice as well as the Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and titled: “Police Investigation Report,” signed by Head, IGP Monitoring Unit, Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Mr. A.A. Elleman, an assistant commissioner of police, dated 16 March 2021, the police said the businessman was blameless.

After reviewing the testaments of the disputants, the police said: “From the foregoing, it is pertinent to state that the allegations of stealing and criminal diversion of company funds as alleged by the complainant – Dr. Tunde Ayeni- against the suspect, Capt. Hosa Wells-Okunbo, could not be established as there were documentary evidence that was provided by the suspect – Capt. Hosa Wells-Okunbo, which clearly shows that Capt. Hosa Okunbo has lawfully acquired Dr. Tunde Ayeni’s interest in Ocean Marine Solutions Limited (OMS) for the valuable consideration of N2,000,000,000.00 (Two Billion Naira) only. So also the allegation of criminal diversion of company funds is baseless, malicious and false as it hasn’t be proven by the complainant.”

The police had noted that whilst it found that the company was formed with the following shareholding, Wells-Okunbo (46 per cent), Ayeni (38 per cent), Garth Dooley (14 per cent), and Admiral Augustus Aikhomu (5 per cent later sold to Okunbo), they said they found that Ayeni had legally and voluntarily sold his stakes to Okunbo.

The Okunbo family welcomes the report which they said was professionally done by the police, but expressed fears that attempts are being made to influence the police to change its report, whilst their father (Capt. Hosa) lies critically ill in a London hospital.

THISDAY

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