Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of an Ikeja Special Offences Court has
sentenced a Badagry Prince, Semasa James to three years
imprisonment for uttering documents to administer the estate of his
father, late Oba Afolabi James of Kweme land, Badagry.
![image](/2021/04/lawp2.jpg")
The court however gave the prince an option of fine in the sum
of N450,000.
![image](/2021/01/payne-alex.jpg")
Semasa was charged alongside his personal assistant Afolabi
Kazeem before Justice Taiwo.
He is accused of defrauding his 26 siblings of N500million
inheritance while administering the estate of the deceased
king.
Prince Semasa faced a seven-count charge of forgery, uttering of
false document and fraudulent disposal of trust property proffered
against him by the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigeria Police
Force.
Kazeem, his personal assistant faced a charge of receiving
stolen property.
Justice Taiwo in her judgment found Semasa not guilty of the
charges of forgery and fraudulent disposal of trust property noting
that the prosecution failed to proved its case beyond reasonable
doubt.
The trial judge however found the first defendant guilty of
three-counts of uttering of a false documents.
She convicted and sentenced him to one year in prison on each
count which is to run concurrently or an option of N450,000
fine.
She said: “Based on the oral and documentary evidence, I find
that the prosecution failed to prove the three-counts of stealing
beyond reasonable doubt.”
The court however absolved the prince of the offence bordering
on fraudulent disposal of trust property.
The court also declared the second defendant, Kazeem, not guilty
of receiving stolen property.
Justice Taiwo held that the prosecution failed to prove beyond
reasonable doubt that N2million was stolen and that he received
same knowing it was stolen.
“The first defendant is hereby sentenced to one-year
imprisonment or N450,000 fine.”
Prior to convicting and sentencing the first defendant, the
judge had said that the case could have been resolved amicably in
the family without the warring princes and princesses resorting to
litigation.
“It is unfortunate that such a problem cannot be resolved
amicably, instead of washing of the family their dirty linen in
public.
“One wonders what legacy the elders in the family are leaving
behind for the younger ones.
“It is suggested by the court that the family wipes clean the
slate and start afresh,” she said
The court however suggested that avoid future strife, the family
should appoint more administrators to administer the estate of late
Oba Afolabi James.
Justice Taiwo said that the administrators should be transparent
to the beneficiaries of the estate and a neutral body should also
manage the account of the estate and open fresh books and records
to avoid mismanagement funds.
In his allocutus, the defence counsel, Martins Oyigbo asked the
court to temper justice with mercy.
“He is a first time offender my lord and he had no intention of
defrauding the family.
“My lord should please give an option of fine as the family will
take the advice of the court and resolve the matter amicably,”
Oyigbo said.
During the trial, the 12 witnesses testified for the prosecution
while six witnesses testified for the defence.
According to the SFU prosecutor, Mr Oluwafemi Olabisi, Semasa
had fraudulently converted N500 million property belonging to the
late king, between 2000 and 2017 in Lagos.
The prosecution alleged that Semasa fraudulently sold a property
located at Plot 1440, Ilesanmi St., Itire Road, Surulere, Lagos to
a private individual.
He was accused of illegally leasing another property located
Plot 282 Ajose Adeogun St., Victoria Island, Lagos to Ecobank
Plc.
Semasa also allegedly forged some purchase receipts of his late
fathers property as well as the signature of the late king on the
Corporate Affairs Commission documents of CAJ Industrial
Enterprises.
Also, the SFU said that Kazeems had allegedly received stolen
estate funds from the first defendant.
Kazeem is alleged to have connived with Semasa to defraud the
beneficiaries of the late kings estate of N150 million, which was
part of the proceeds of sale of a property located at Dideolu
Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of an Ikeja Special Offences Court has
sentenced a Badagry Prince, Semasa James to three years
imprisonment for uttering documents to administer the estate of his
father, late Oba Afolabi James of Kweme land, Badagry.
The court however gave the prince an option of fine in the sum
of N450,000.
Semasa was charged alongside his personal assistant Afolabi
Kazeem before Justice Taiwo.
He is accused of defrauding his 26 siblings of N500million
inheritance while administering the estate of the deceased
king.
Prince Semasa faced a seven-count charge of forgery, uttering of
false document and fraudulent disposal of trust property proffered
against him by the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigeria Police
Force.
Kazeem, his personal assistant faced a charge of receiving
stolen property.
Justice Taiwo in her judgment found Semasa not guilty of the
charges of forgery and fraudulent disposal of trust property noting
that the prosecution failed to proved its case beyond reasonable
doubt.
The trial judge however found the first defendant guilty of
three-counts of uttering of a false documents.
She convicted and sentenced him to one year in prison on each
count which is to run concurrently or an option of N450,000
fine.
She said: “Based on the oral and documentary evidence, I find
that the prosecution failed to prove the three-counts of stealing
beyond reasonable doubt.”
The court however absolved the prince of the offence bordering
on fraudulent disposal of trust property.
The court also declared the second defendant, Kazeem, not guilty
of receiving stolen property.
Justice Taiwo held that the prosecution failed to prove beyond
reasonable doubt that N2million was stolen and that he received
same knowing it was stolen.
“The first defendant is hereby sentenced to one-year
imprisonment or N450,000 fine.”
Prior to convicting and sentencing the first defendant, the
judge had said that the case could have been resolved amicably in
the family without the warring princes and princesses resorting to
litigation.
“It is unfortunate that such a problem cannot be resolved
amicably, instead of washing of the family their dirty linen in
public.
“One wonders what legacy the elders in the family are leaving
behind for the younger ones.
“It is suggested by the court that the family wipes clean the
slate and start afresh,” she said
The court however suggested that avoid future strife, the family
should appoint more administrators to administer the estate of late
Oba Afolabi James.
Justice Taiwo said that the administrators should be transparent
to the beneficiaries of the estate and a neutral body should also
manage the account of the estate and open fresh books and records
to avoid mismanagement funds.
In his allocutus, the defence counsel, Martins Oyigbo asked the
court to temper justice with mercy.
“He is a first time offender my lord and he had no intention of
defrauding the family.
“My lord should please give an option of fine as the family will
take the advice of the court and resolve the matter amicably,”
Oyigbo said.
During the trial, the 12 witnesses testified for the prosecution
while six witnesses testified for the defence.
According to the SFU prosecutor, Mr Oluwafemi Olabisi, Semasa
had fraudulently converted N500 million property belonging to the
late king, between 2000 and 2017 in Lagos.
The prosecution alleged that Semasa fraudulently sold a property
located at Plot 1440, Ilesanmi St., Itire Road, Surulere, Lagos to
a private individual.
He was accused of illegally leasing another property located
Plot 282 Ajose Adeogun St., Victoria Island, Lagos to Ecobank
Plc.
Semasa also allegedly forged some purchase receipts of his late
fathers property as well as the signature of the late king on the
Corporate Affairs Commission documents of CAJ Industrial
Enterprises.
Also, the SFU said that Kazeems had allegedly received stolen
estate funds from the first defendant.
Kazeem is alleged to have connived with Semasa to defraud the
beneficiaries of the late kings estate of N150 million, which was
part of the proceeds of sale of a property located at Dideolu
Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos.