Victims of an alleged multi-billion naira land fraud have accused officers of the Rivers State Police Command of compromising the ongoing criminal case involving Kelly Nworgu, popularly known as “De Villa,” owner of Livelihood Homes.
The victims, under the platform United Voice of the People, claim that police prosecutors have deliberately delayed the case and aided Nworgu in jumping bail.
Nworgu was arraigned by the Nigerian Police before a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt in 2020 on allegations of defrauding over 500 people of more than one billion naira under false pretences of selling land.
Chairman of the group, Michael Ezedike, who spoke to correspondent after a court proceeding, expressed frustration over the lack of progress in a case that began over five years ago.
“This is a clear case of fraud, yet we have seen little or no commitment from the police to pursue justice. The suspect jumped bail three years ago, and till now, no effort has been made to re-arrest him,” Ezedike said.
He further alleged that the police prosecutor handling the matter stopped attending court proceedings and instead sent a replacement unfamiliar with the case, stalling progress further.
“The prosecutor once threatened that he would no longer come to court. He eventually stopped appearing, leaving us stranded. The three sureties who bailed the suspect were found to have provided fake addresses. We are lost on how to find him now.”We do not know how to get the suspect again.
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“We have reported this matter to the relevant authorities and nothing is been done about it. Today we are stranded, this matter has lingered with no progress, and they are not willing to come to us so we can make progress in the matter”. We need justice.
Several other victims, including Emole Michael and Eze Innocent, recounted the emotional and financial toll the prolonged case has taken. They revealed that some victims have died over the years due to the stress and frustration.
“Some of us bought land from De Villa in 2019. Since then, we’ve been in court with no results. Sometimes, the judge is the one reminding the police lawyer of what steps to take. This clearly shows a compromise,” Michael said.
The victims have called on the Inspector General of Police, the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, and the international community to intervene and ensure justice is served.
“We want the world to know what is happening. We are tired and need help. The police have abandoned us. We demand justice,” Eze Innocent added.
As of the time of this report, there has been no official response from the Rivers State Police Command regarding the allegations.
One Response
The police are hardly trustworthy in such cases. There have been numerous cases of fraudulent companies defrauding their customers, especially in recent times. CBEX is a notable example, then this. Some security officers simply provide some coverage for them…for a consideration.