The Effi community of Okuni in Ikom local government area of Cross River state has vowed to drag a legal practitioner, Elder Icheri Imo Okim, to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) over his refusal to remit to the community N21 million property auction fund.
Prince Odey Oyama, an environmentalist, who claimed to speak on behalf of the community, in letters sighted by our correspondent, explained that the said money was from auctioning of property that belonged to a private company and which ought to have been given to the community.
He said Okim would be dragged before NBA disciplinary committee for misconduct and denial of clients’ benefit of access to specific judgment in their matter.
Oyama alleged further that the lawyer, having once worked for Kanu Agabi chambers in Calabar, who once were clients to the defunct firm, MikeWood Plant Industry situated in the community, had used his position to access facts about the firm with which he allegedly manipulated as community lawyer when a court ordered auctioning of its property
“We have written several letters to Elder Icheri Imo Okim who is also an indigene of our Effi village and who claimed he had power of attorney to act as our community lawyer, to avail us the said power of attorney, as well as full transaction details of the auctioning of the said property that belonged to MikeWood Plant Industry, which reportedly amounted to N21m but he has refused to do so.
“We understand that he allegedly shared part of this auction proceeds to certain persons in the community to pacify them,” Oyama stated.
But in an interview, the lawyer denied the allegations, saying the only money he got was the judgement fees from the auction. He therefore threatened to slam a legal action against Odey Oyama for falsehood.
His words: What my brother has alleged is not true at all. Oyama has been acting on rumours. I am a lawyer of 30 years practice. I had acted as solicitor to the community and got judgement against the said company. We held several meetings with elders and chiefs of the community over the auction. The only money that came to me legitimately is my legal fees.
“It is not also true that I gave monies to youth president and others. It was one Missang, a colleague, whom I asked to represent me at some of the legal hearings, that I gave money when he appealed that he had some challenges.”
