Specifically,
Bianca was sued in respect of a two-storey detached house located at No 29
Queens Drive, Ikoyi Lagos. Oyebanji struck out the suits following a Notice of
Discontinuance dated February 5 filed by the claimant’s lawyer, Ike Ubahakwa.
The court
also struck out two other suits (LD/1681/12 and LD/1682/12) filed against
unknown persons occupying two separate properties of the firm, following two
separate Notices of Discontinuance filed by the claimant. Oyebanji ruled that
“pursuant to the notice of discontinuance dated February 5, 2013, this suit is
hereby struck court.”
However,
counsel to Bianca, Nick Omeye, prayed the court to award N100,000 as cost
against the claimant, arguing that Bianca, being a public figure, had been
derided in most national newspapers when the suit was filed.
He said:
“Considering the status of the defendant (Bianca), I ask for N100,000 ask cost
against the claimant. The respondent got to know of the suit while in Spain as
an ambassador to the country.
Most
national newspapers carried the story when the suit was filed.’’ But in her
ruling, Oyebanji awarded N5,000 cost against Ojukwu Transport Limited but
declined to award cost in the sister suits since the defendants are unknown
persons.
Ojukwu
Transport Limited had in suit LD/1680/2012 demanded payment of N40 million
being expected rentable value per annum of the said premises from September 27
until the defendant (Bianca) gives up possession of the property.
The
claimant, represented by one of its directors, Dr. Ike Ojukwu, is also asking
for N100 million as damages from the widow of the late Biafran warlord. The
claimant, in its statement of claim, said by a letter of attorney dated May 4,
2012, it appointed Mr. Massey Udagbe of Massey Udegbe & Co as its agent to
manage the property in dispute.
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