Omolara Akintonde: N65.5m land fraud allegation against me is false

Omolara Akintonde, a businesswoman, says the allegation of fraud made against her by one David Timilehin, a real estate businessman, over a N65.5 million controversial land deal in Lagos state is false.

TheCable had reported how Timilehin accused Marcus Tibetan, a prophet of the Celestial Church of Christ, of collecting N65.5 million from him to procure land belonging to Akintonde near the recently inaugurated Dangote refinery in Lagos state.

Timilehin said, in 2022, Tibetan, his spiritual father, informed him of the availability of two hectares of land (30 plots) supposedly in Ketu, Epe area of the state, belonging to Akintonde. Timilehin said he paid the N65.5 million cost of the land to the prophet to be transferred to Akintonde.

But a year after, Timilehin said he was not allocated the land; neither did he get a receipt of payment nor any documentation of the land. Instead, he has been involved in a back-and-forth conversation with the prophet and Akintonde.

Timilehin said he also discovered the land is not anywhere close to the Dangote refinery, adding that the land belongs to the Lagos state government and is not meant for private use. He then requested a refund, saying he was no longer interested in the deal.

Despite evidence of bank transfers to Tibetan, the prophet, in an interview with TheCable, denied receiving money from Timilehin. Akintonde also insisted she had no business with Timilehin, saying it was the prophet that collected money from him.

Timilehin has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the controversial land deal.

TIMILEHIN’S MONEY WILL BE REFUNDED

In a response sent to TheCable, Akintonde said she did not defraud Timilehin as the land was duly sold to him with a valid receipt. She added that the real estate businessman will be refunded in six months.

“First, correction, I was never the first lady of Ogun state… Prophet Marcus called on 10/02/202 for negotiation of the price to N30m/acre and payment for 2 acres on behalf of his “son” (now known as Timilehin),” Akintonde said.

“Issuance of the offer letter to “Timilehin Dave” for the two acres and Deed of Assignment was duly signed by Timilehin in June 2022 witnessed by Prophet Tibetan with a request for correction of his name to “Timilehin Lasisi David”. Corrected Deed of Assignment with the new name “Timilehin Lasisi David” issued and duly signed by Timilehin July 2022 and witnessed by Prophet Tibetan.

“Timilehin was encouraged by me to visit the land location severally but he insisted that he is comfortable with the assurances given to him by his “Father” Prophet Tibetan about the land. Timilehin visited the land location 11/01/2023 while I was out of the country after continued pressure from me and with the direction of the site supervisor. On getting to the location of the land, he refused to enter the site office out of anger having lost his way before getting to the location.

“I personally met with him once in my office at Ikeja GRA where he insisted all the land transactions should be done through Prophet Tibetan. Timilehin may have changed his mind after his visit as the location is currently remote and decided to ask for a reduction of the original price, hence his claim for 5 acres for the money he already paid.

“Timilehin’s claims of no receipt or document is false; not allowed to visit the land location is false; not permitted to engage a lawyer for the transaction was his choice (I have evidence of his WhatsApp message); and the claim of threat to life is false

“I will implore Timilehin to give peace a chance and allow the mediation being arranged with his lawyer by some elders to take place. I give my personal guarantee that his money will be fully refunded to him within 6 months.”