Mild drama as counsel accuses client of plotting to kill opponent

There was drama at the Lagos state police headquarters, Ikeja, recently, after a legal adviser (names withheld) openly accused his client of plotting to kill his opponent by paying him N0.2million. The lawyer, who claimed to have spent about 27 years in the bar, alleged before bewildered policemen attached to Inspector-General of Police Tactical Squad from Abuja, that his client, the General Manager of a microfinance bank in Apapa, Lagos, gave him advance payment of N200,000 with a firm promise of advancing more to him after assassinating his opponent, a Lagos-based business man.

Police sources said the revelation came up while the IGP’s tactical team was interrogating the business man, Lucky Adimike, based on a petition written by the General Manager of Wealth Stream Microfiance bank, Goddy Ogbogu.

Mr. Adimike had earlier dragged the General Manager of the micro finance bank to the Federal Anti-robbery squad, Adeniji Adele, Lagos allegedging that he diverted his $140,000.00 after a business transaction.

He further alleged that he instructed the microfinance bank to transfer the sum of $140,000.00 to his business partner in China in 2014 but the microbank failed to carry out his instructions only to turn around and accuse the second generation bank of failure to adhere to instructions to halt the transfer. According to him; the Managing Director of the Microfinance bank converted the money into personal use only to make frivolous allegations against him and the second generation bank.

The case, which lingered for years after being investigated by different police formations including the Federal Anti-Robbery squad, FEDSARS, Adeniji-Adele, Lagos, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos, and the Public Petitions Committee of the House of Representative, came up again after the managing director of the micro finance bank petitioned the IGP, accusing the owner of the money, Lucky Adimike, of being involved in dubious arraignment with the bank to frame him up.

It was learned that based on these allegations by both parties, the IGP’s tactical team waded into the matter. The case, however, took a dramatic turn after one of the counsel’s hired by the managing director of the microfinance bank, openly accused his client of paying him to assassinate the businessman, Lucky Adimike.

According to police sources, the lawyer stated categorically before policemen that: “My client, Godwin Ogbogu, advanced the sum of N200,000.00 to me as logistics for the said assassination and when it failed, he flew into Abuja to know why it did not take place as planned. I started playing along with him in the presence of two witnesses and informed him that the assassins insisted on additional N1.5m before they strike. I also informed the would-be victim of this ugly development.’’

When contacted, the legal adviser vehemently refused to comment on the development but referred our reporter to those investigating the case. However, the businessman, Lucky Adimike stated: “It was shocking to hear this revelation by his own legal adviser. I will simply leave the police to do their job diligently and thoroughly to ensure that justice was done in this case and my money recovered.’’

Efforts to reach the Managing Director of the Microfinance bank failed as he was said to be out of town when we visited his office in Apapa.