“We Must Review the Case File” — AGF Takes Over Prosecution of JonahCapital Directors in River Park Estate Dispute

The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice has formally taken over the prosecution of criminal charges filed against some Ghanaian investors and directors of JonahCapital Ltd in the ongoing River Park Estate ownership dispute.

The Nigeria Police Force had, on June 25, filed a 26-count criminal charge before an FCT High Court in Gwarinpa against JonahCapital directors Sam Jonah, Kojo Ansah, Victor Quainoo, their Nigerian lawyer, Abu Arome, and Mobus Property Nigeria Ltd, alleging forgery of the company’s ownership documents.

At the resumed hearing on Thursday, a state counsel, Aderonke Imana, informed the court that she had been directed by the AGF to assume control of the case under Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution.

“I have the instructions of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation to take over the case from the Nigeria Police Force, so that we can have the opportunity to review the case file because there are a lot of letters and petitions to that effect,” she said.

She, however, noted that the police had yet to release the case file to the AGF.

In the absence of objections, Justice Modupe-Osho Adebiyi granted the application and adjourned further proceedings until November 11.

Counsel to the JonahCapital directors opposed the charges, arguing that routine corporate filings and land-related disagreements were being criminalised. They recalled that a 10-man police investigation panel had previously examined the allegations of forgery brought by Paul Odili of Paulo Homes — a rival claimant — and found no wrongdoing.

They further alleged that the latest charges stemmed from a hastily compiled report by the IGP Monitoring Unit, led by CP Akin Fakorede, which they said indicted them without affording them a hearing.

The controversy traces back to an agreement signed during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, under which the FCT recognized JonahCapital Nigeria Ltd, promoted by Sir Samuel Esson Jonah, as the original owners of Plot 4, Cadastral Zone E30, Lugbe, Abuja.

FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, in a televised interview on September 18, confirmed that JonahCapital were indeed the original developers of River Park Estate. He explained that a dispute later arose when JonahCapital partnered with Paulo Homes to facilitate building approvals from FCT Development Control in exchange for equity, which eventually led to the ongoing dispute.

Meanwhile, controversy has also trailed alleged efforts by the IGP Monitoring Unit to influence the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in relation to the matter. Sources within the CAC said CP Fakorede visited the commission on September 3 under the guise of a courtesy call but sought to pressure the Registrar-General into overturning the AGF’s directive, which had ordered the police to halt all proceedings and transmit the case file for review.

Legal experts have warned that any attempt to alter company records or reassign control during active litigation would violate Section 41(6) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020, which prohibits tampering with company information while a dispute is before the courts.

The AGF’s office had earlier, via a letter dated July 21, 2025, directed the Inspector-General of Police to immediately transmit the case file in Charge No. CR/402/25 and suspend all actions pending its independent legal advice.