Operatives of the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) of the Nigerian police in Abuja have arrested the founder and GMD of Sujimoto Holdin
Operatives of the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) of the Nigerian police in Abuja have arrested the founder and GMD of Sujimoto Holdings, Olasijibomi Ogundele, over an alleged fraud involving $325,000 he received from a client for a real estate deal.
The FCID launched an investigation into how Ogundele’s real estate firm, Sujimoto Construction Limited, after he collected the money on November 5 2020 and failed to deliver on the project or refund the money.
The probe followed a petition to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of criminal investigations by a lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi of Law Corridor.
The law firm’s managing partner, explained that the real estate mogul, who is currently being probed by the police, obtained the money from one Kabiru Garba Ibrahim meant for the 50 per cent payment of the agreed sum of $650,000 for a property of one unit of 3-bedroom flat located at an estate known as LeonardoBySujimoto Homes.
Olajengbesi alleged that the actions amount to obtaining money by false pretence, fraudulent misrepresentation and criminal breach of trust because since 2020, Ibrahim neither got the property nor his money back from the company.
Sources who are privy to the matter revealed that Ogundele was invited by the FCID in May 2024 after the petition was received but he never honoured the invitation.
One of the sources added that rather than honouring police invitation, LeonardoBySujimoto Homes and Ogundele filed a fundamental rights suit against the police, asking the court to stop the probe against his person and the firm.
It required the intervention of an Assistant Commissioner of Police from the FCID who traveled to Lagos to meet with Ogundele for him to report at the FCID Abuja on Wednesday.
“When we started the investigation and invited the suspect through a letter, the next thing we saw was that he had sued the police, requesting that we stop our constitutional duties as police officers. I guess he was misled or misguided by his lawyers,” a senior police source revealed.
The spokesperson for the FCID, Funmi Eguaoje – a Deputy Superintendent of Police, confirmed the ongoing probe, while noting that Ogundele was detained on Wednesday when he could not meet his bail conditions.
“He came on invitation yesterday (Wednesday) but they couldn’t resolve the matter as of yesterday,” Eguaoje said.
She confirmed that Ogundele was called in for an interview on Thursday.
She said the businessman met the bail conditions Thursday night.
“He’s going out on bail now,” the FCID spokesperson said.
In July, Ogundele revealed that his company’s $225 million ambitious real estate project LeonardoBySujimoto situated in Ikoyi, Lagos State will surpass the 45-year-old iconic NECOM House built in 1979, marking a new era of architectural excellence and redefining luxury living in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The planned 165 meters marvel project, if built will eclipse the 106 meters dominant NECOM House which currently stands tall as West Africa’s most elevated building. It boasts numerous firsts, including over 48 electric vehicle charging stations, a virtual indoor golf bar, a standard IMAX cinema, and eight private swimming pools.
