Justice Adenike Coker of a Lagos High Court in Ikeja has ordered an alleged notorious land grabber, Moroof Owonla, also known as Kaka, and his cohort to appear in court by the next adjourned date after he was absent in two criminal suits linked to him.
The judge directed the defence counsel representing Moroof Owonla in a fundamental human rights case that was called immediately after the criminal proceeding, Oyetayo Eboh, to produce him in court on January 24, 2024.
The next adjourned date of the fundamental human rights case is January 30, 2024.
The judge noted that the Lagos State government was working to bring multiple cases against any single individual together under a single court to give them a fuller perspective.
“The Lagos State government wants to bring all the cases together to give the court a kaleidoscope view of the story,” Coker said. “Cases about one person should be heard in one court,” the judge added.
The Directorate of Public Prosecution had filled eight-count charges against Moroof Owonla, Olu-Aminu Yemisi Abdulaziz and Ganiyu Aminu over conspiring to commit a felony by forcible entry onto land in Ayobo area of the State.
According to the charge information, the three suspected land grabbers, on the 5th day of August 2022, having procured thugs numbering about twenty invaded a hotel situated at No 34, Faguson Osagie Street and with intent to deprive a businessman, Hassan Alli, carted away building materials valued over thirty-two million naira.
The stealing offence is contrary to Section 287 of the criminal law Ch. C17. Vol. 3 Laws of Lagos State 2015, while the land grabbing offence is contrary to Section 2 (3) of the Properties Protection Law of Lagos State 2016.
