A Lagos-based estate developer, Alhaji Samsideen Akanni Sule, has instituted a suit before the Ikeja Judicial Division of the Lagos State High Court, accusing two members of the Abolarinwa family and a senior police officer of alleged defamation, harassment and malicious publication.
In the suit filed before the High Court sitting in Ikeja by his lawyer, Dele Babalola, Sule, who trades under the name and style of SAS Estate Developer, is challenging what he described as “false, malicious and damaging allegations” contained in petitions allegedly authored and circulated by the defendants.
The defendants in the matter are Alhaja Sherifat Tejumola Abolarinwa, Mr Habeeb Tejumola Abolarinwa and CSP Taofeek Tijani of Zone II Police Command, Onikan, Lagos.
According to the originating court processes, the claimant alleged that the defendants, acting in connivance, wrote and circulated a petition dated March 19, 2024, accusing him of involvement in the alleged theft of two trinket boxes containing 950 grams of 24-carat gold said to belong to the late Alhaji Tejumola Abolarinwa.
Sule contended that the allegations contained in the petition were entirely false, defamatory and aimed at tarnishing his reputation as a respected businessman and estate developer.
The claimant further told the court that he had been lawfully engaged by the defendants and members of their family to assist in recovering about 12 plots of land allegedly taken over by hoodlums and land grabbers around the Idimu and Abule-Odu axis of Lagos.
He stated that based on a Power of Attorney executed in his favour, he mobilised legal and financial resources, engaged lawyers and pursued several petitions to security agencies, actions which allegedly resulted in a favourable court judgment restoring nine plots of land to the family.
The claimant maintained that as consideration for his services, he became entitled to two plots of land, while he separately purchased an additional plot from the defendants for the sum of N2 million.
However, Sule alleged that despite the successful execution of the assignment, the defendants later turned against him and began sponsoring petitions to several police formations and agencies, including Idimu Police Station, Area ‘M’ Command, Lagos State Police Command, Zone II Police Command, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Lagos State anti-land grabbing office.
He further accused the defendants of using the petitions to subject him to intimidation, humiliation and repeated police invitations, including a trip to Abuja in relation to allegations that he forged signatures on the Power of Attorney.
According to the claimant, investigations eventually confirmed the authenticity of the Power of Attorney, yet the defendants allegedly continued making defamatory statements against him.
Among the reliefs sought before the court is a declaration that the allegations made against him by the defendants are false, malicious and defamatory.
He is also seeking damages reportedly put at N500 million for the alleged injury to his reputation, emotional trauma and business losses occasioned by the publications.
The claimant is further asking the court for an order restraining the defendants from further publishing or circulating defamatory statements against him.
Sule alleged in the court papers that the defamatory publications and broadcasts extended to radio programmes, including one aired on “Agidigbo FM” in Ibadan.
He told the court that the publications portrayed him as a fraudulent businessman, land grabber and dishonest individual, thereby causing severe injury to his reputation, business standing and personal integrity.
The claimant stated that the publications had exposed him to ridicule among his associates, clients, family members and members of the public, adding that he had suffered embarrassment and emotional distress as a result.
As of the time of filing this report, no hearing date had been fixed for the matter.
