Omes Ogedegbe Explains Court Order To Seize John Atubi’s Car Over Unpaid Legal Fees In N80 Million Police Refund Dispute

A legal practitioner, Omes Ogedegbe, has explained his role in the controversy over the sharing of N80 million released to John Atubi by the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, which led to the impounding of his (Atubi’s) car by the police.

The said amount, alongside other valuables belonging to Atubi, was seized from him by the Rivers State Police Command.

However, it was reported in the Daily Sun of January 2, 2024, that the sharing formula of the said money tore activists apart.

Specifically, the publication was titled: “Delta: Over N80m Police Refund money tears activists apart.”

However, responding to the news report, Omes Ogedegbe clarified that the action between him and John Atubi cannot amount to what the report termed infighting by activists.

The clarification was contained in a letter dated January 8, 2024, and addressed to the Editor-in-Chief of The Sun by Igho Ogedegbe.

The letter reads in part: “Omes Ogedegbe was briefed by one John Atubi to question his arrest by police officers in the Rivers State command, and a fundamental rights action was filed in line with his instructions at the Federal High Court, Warri division.

“Upon the eventual release of the funds, the said John Atubi was no longer accessible by phone while he was yet to settle his legal fees.

“In view of our inability to reach him and his nonchalance in settling our legal fees, especially upon the report that he was relocating out of the court’s jurisdiction, we were left with no other option than to explore all legal options available to us for an absconding defendant.

“It was at the point of carrying out the order of the court that the victim drove the said car into the Ekpan police station, and the police were forced to comply with the court order.

“We were therefore taken aback to have read how you termed the same in your January 2, 2024 publication titled: Delta: Over N80m police refund money tears activists apart.”

“The action between Omes Ogedegbe and John Atubi cannot amount to what you termed infighting by activists. By the said publication, you caused serious disrepute to the character and the person of Omes Ogedegbe when you said thus: That Barrister Ogedegbe, who was demanding the highest share of the money, had secured a court order requesting the impounding of the victim’s car at the police station pending when his share was paid,” the letter read.

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