N49m Failed Land Deal: Victim drags David Siunoje to EFCC over breach of trust

A chieftain of the Delta State All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief David Kanebi Siunoje, who is popularly known as ‘Mama’ has been accused of criminal breach of Trust, Diversion of funds, impersonation, and alleged misappropriation of funds totalling N49m.

The victim of a failed land deal, Mr. Barry Ifeanyi Ogbolu, a Canadian-based Nigerian has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accusing Chief Siunoje of deceitfully extorting money from him in the pretence of selling land to him.

Mr. Ogbolu in a petition to the anti-graft body, through his attorney, the Saleh’s & Attorneys (Dawning Chambers) (Legal Practitioners & Consultants) which was confirmed by the Anti-graft body in a letter dated 27 April 2023, with petition No. EFCC/PET/HQR/3746/2023, Mr. Ogbolu, accused Chief Siunoje of obtaining the sum of N49,000,000.00 (Forty-Nine Million Naira) on the offer to sell two plots of land situated behind the CBN building, Asaba-Delta State in which he categorically stated and laid claims of being the owner of the plots.

He also accused Siunoje of having a fraudulent intention for providing a different account and not his own account, insisting that Chief Siunoje lied to him that EFCC froze his account in Nigeria due to a petition his political opponent, “it will be right to state and hold that Mr. David Kanebi Siunoje, intentions ab initio was to defraud, cheat, and divert our client’s funds for his personal enjoyment and use.”

The petition titled, ‘Letter of Petition for Criminal Breach of Trust, Diversion of Funds, Impersonation and Acts of Misappropriation of funds against one Mr. David Kanebi Siunoje for urgent investigation and persecution.

He also urged the anti-graft body to account used for the receipts of these funds and the role played by the account holders to ascertain their culpability or otherwise.

According to Mr. Ogbolu, in December 21st, 2021 he transferred the sum of #500,000 from his First Bank account to Mr. Siunoje through one Okafor Chinedu Gideon, and on June 7th, 2022 he made another transfer of #2,110,000 to Mr. Siunoje through another bank account he provided, this time, it was one Okonji Frank with Account Number: 2009980736, with Zenith Bank.

The petition reads in part: “Our client informed us that sometime in May 2021, Mr. David Kanebi Siunoje offered to sell Two plots of land at and behind the CBN building, Asaba-Delta State, where he categorically stated and laid claims of being the owner of the plot.

“Our client had all reasons to believe Mr. David Kanebi Siunoje who had shown good behaviour in Canada up to the time of the offer, there was no any iota of doubt at that material time to doubt him of having full control and ownership of the said plot of land.

“Furthermore, our client informed us that Mr. David Kanebi Siunoje demanded for payments with respect to the plot of land which payments were made into different people accounts provided by Mr David Kanebi Siunoje in instalments and the total sum totalled N49,000,000.00 (Forty-Nine Million Naira) Only. We questioned his motives for providing a different account and not his own account, Mr David lied to our client that EFCC froze all his accounts in Nigeria due to a petition his political opponent filed against him.

“Amazingly, our client was shocked to discover that the said plot of land does not belong to him and all the land papers were not under his custody after a series of demands from our client, Mr. David Kanebi Siunoje casually informed our client that he will refund the monies so far, he received through a different account he provided at his own convenience which wasn’t palatable to our client.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we shall attach all the payments made into different accounts provided by Mr David Kanebi Siunoje such as N10,000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira) in favour of Mr. David Kanebi Siunoje by his instruction.

“Mr David Kanebi Siunoje instructed our client to raise a Bank draft to an auto company that sold the 2017 Range Rover Autobiography which the address is designated in Canada, the draft copy of $30,000 Canadian Dollars raised for Automania Inc. in favour of Mr David Kanebi Siunoje attached.

“Consequently, Sir, it will be right to state and hold that Mr. David Kanebi Siunoje’s intentions ab initio was to defraud, cheat, and divert our client’s funds for his personal enjoyment and use. It is also right to say that Mr. David Kanebi Siunoje had no title whatsoever of the said plot but laid false claims over the plot for an overt reason, hence he was at different times and dates requested to forward evidence of the land ownership but alas he tactfully refused, ignored and jettisoned our client’s harmless requests.

“In the above light Sir, Mr. David Kanebi Siunoje and his relations offered to deliver his Range Rover 2017, VIN #SALGV574A356393 which value is N44,000,000.00 (Forty-Four Million Naira) meant to be delivered to our client’s representative in Abuja and formal agreement to be executed by parties concerned at Asaba-Delta State.

“On the agreed date for the execution of the agreement (17/04/2023) the representatives of Mr. David Kanebi Siunoje refused to show up so as to execute the agreement and several reminders and calls were put to them but to no avail.

“May we categorically state Sir, that Mr. David Kanebi Siunoje avoided all our client’s entreaties and our client became helpless, hence the need to call upon the relevant agencies to come to his aid and uphold the rule of law so that all that is due to our client will be given in due course and Mr. David Kanebi Siunoje be brought to book.”

The copy of the petition which was also sent to the Inspector General of Police, and Delta State Commissioner of Police Asaba, Delta State stated that ‘agreement and other relevant documents shall be attached for the EFCC perusal and swift action.