Court orders former Lagos govt law officer to account for alleged illegal rent

Justice Ibironke Harrison, sitting at the Lagos High Court, Igbosere, on Monday ordered a former law officer with the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Chief Olatunbosun Wasiu Isiba, to, within 21 days, render the accounts of rent he was said to have so far collected on a property at No. 73/75, Palm Avenue, Mushin, Lagos. […]

Justice Ibironke Harrison, sitting at the Lagos High Court, Igbosere, on Monday ordered a former law officer with the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Chief Olatunbosun Wasiu Isiba, to, within 21 days, render the accounts of rent he was said to have so far collected on a property at No. 73/75, Palm Avenue, Mushin, Lagos.

The court issued the order following an application by lawyers from the chambers of P. O. Jimoh Lasisi.

The Momoh and Alliu Isiba family had written a disclaimer in a letter dated October 17, 2019 and jointly signed by Saheed A. Isiba as Secretary and Chief Deji K. Isiba as head of family, to the court dissociating the family from Chief Isiba’s action, saying that the family did not consent to the “illegal” rent he allegedly collected.

The court was informed that a Lagos High Court judge, the late Justice Z. A. Ashiyanbi, had in 2005 made the same order against Chief Isiba to refund rent “collected illegally” and to render account on the same contentious property, “which he refused to obey.”

Justice Harrison identified, as “the most litigated property in Lagos State”, the contentious twin three-storey buildings on Palm Avenue, Mushin, directly opposite the Mushin Local Government Council secretariat.

The buildings contain 14 flats, a warehouse, offices and shops.

The judge is about the 24th judge sitting on the case, which is already on its way again to the Court of Appeal, having gone up to the Supreme Court and back.

Justice Harrison has fixed May 13, 2020 for Chief Isiba to comply with the order to refund monies and render accounts.