How a Favour to Friend Allegedly Turned Into Property Loss — ACP Braide Tells Court
An Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Ngozi Braide, told Justice Hakeem Oshodi that her decision to offer temporary accommodation to her friend, Barrister Chinwe Onuoha, eventually resulted in a dispute over her Ikorodu property and allegations of forgery and attempted fraud.
Onuoha is standing trial on a 12-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery and uttering of false documents, in an alleged scheme to defraud the Bank of Industry, BoI, to the detriment of Braide.
The prosecution alleged that Onuoha and other defendants, some of whom are said to be at large, conspired in 2020 to forge a lease agreement purportedly dated February 12, 2018, which was allegedly submitted to the BoI to facilitate the securing of a loan.
Braide gave the testimony while being led in evidence by the prosecutor, Emmanuel Jackson.
Recounting how their relationship began, the police officer said she met Onuoha in 2011 and that they subsequently became very close friends.
She told the court that the relationship became so close that Onuoha visited her home, spent days with her family and travelled abroad with them.
Braide said the turning point came in 2019 when Onuoha called her around 7:30 a.m., informing her that she had been arrested and detained at a police station in Ogun State.
According to her, Onuoha pleaded with her to come to the station and assist in securing her release.
Braide said she went to the station and was informed that Onuoha had been reported by her landlord over an eviction dispute.
She said the landlord alleged that Onuoha had refused to vacate the premises and had damaged some of his property.
Also Read: Witness Tells Court How He Transferred $500,000 in Alleged $1.5m Investment Fraud Case
The witness told the court that she pleaded with the Divisional Police Officer to release Onuoha to her, after which the defendant was granted bail.
Braide said that on getting to Onuoha’s residence, she found her belongings scattered outside.
She said Onuoha then appealed to her to allow her to stay temporarily in her property at Ikorodu, which she knew was not being used at the time.
The police officer said the property was a four-bedroom house with two sitting rooms, built on a plot of land she acquired after returning from a peacekeeping operation in Liberia.
Braide testified that she acquired the property in 2008 and built the house with proceeds from her service.
She said she agreed to let Onuoha stay there for three months, out of compassion and because of their close relationship.
According to her, she took Onuoha to the property and introduced her to members of the family from whom she had acquired the land as her sister.
She also gave money for the property to be cleaned before Onuoha moved in.
However, Braide said the three-month arrangement continued for six months and eventually more than a year.
She testified that she did not initially press Onuoha to leave because of their friendship and because she had no immediate need for the property.
The situation changed in 2021, she said, when she needed the house for her younger brother and his family because of insecurity in her hometown.
Read Also: IGP Arraigns Abuja Lawyer, Three Ghanaians Over Alleged Company Document Forgery
Braide said she contacted Onuoha and asked her to vacate the property.
She told the court that Onuoha eventually left, but their relationship deteriorated and communication between them ceased.
According to the witness, she visited the property in January 2022 with her driver and some elders to ascertain its condition.
She said she was shocked to discover workers and what appeared to be a factory operating on the premises.
“I found workers there, about five people, with their manager by name David,” she told the court.
Braide testified that the property had been converted into what she identified as “Shearwater Factory,” with walls and partitions allegedly broken down and heavy-duty machines, wires and pipes installed.
She further said some of the workers were living on the premises.
The police officer told the court that she had not visited the property throughout the period Onuoha occupied it and was therefore shocked by the extent of the alterations she allegedly discovered.
Braide’s evidence is expected to be tested during cross-examination.
Justice Hakeem Oshodi adjourned the case until November 10, 2026, for cross-examination of the witness.
