Woman, Brother, Docked For Selling Step Daughter’s Property

The step daughter, Mrs Izogie Ukponarusi, in continuation of defense on the matter, testified before an Egor magistrate court, how her step mother sold her land with a building structure on it without her knowledge.

She alleged that her step mother, Mrs Ukponarusi, connived with her brother, Enogieru, to sell the land and building under construction.

The complainant who is based in Europe, alleged that her step mother carried out the act soon after her father died in 2008.

Izogie told the court that her step mother who moved out of her father’s house two days before his dead, said her woman was supervising the building with her late father who had bought the land on her behalf.

She said because of her late father’s health challenge, her step mother was virtually responsible for the supervision of the development of the land in question.

She said shortly before her father passed on, he had told her that the development of the property was at window stage with the duplex while the two flats inside the 100 by 100 parcel of land was at DPC level.

Izogie alleged that attempt to reach her step mother soon after the demise of her father, by family members,  proved abortive.

According to her, “My father’s family called me that he had told them about the document of the property, which both he and my step mother only had knowledge of.

“He told them to retrieve the document from my step mother and hand it over to me when I arrive the country. But soon after this, there was a breakdown of communication because as I had challenge in Europe.

“However, in 2013 when I re-established contact with the family, I called my maternal uncle to collect the document from my step mother and go check on the property himself.

“After much effort, my step mother reluctantly showed me land with trees, like a forest, contrary to what she and my late father had told me. My uncle who was shocked, told me to remain calm and sort things out myself whenever I come to Nigeria.

“I couldn’t make it to the country until December 2016. After concerted effort, I was able to trace the man who sold the land to by father, through which I was also able to trace my step mother.”

The complainant said her step mother, alongside her brother, started pleading with her that she sold the property to take care of her younger ones.

Mrs Elizabeth Ukponarusi and Mr Benjamin Enogieru, are been tried on six count charges which include, intent to defraud under false pretense and selling of land with building structure valued at N3 million.

The matter which first came up for hearing on March 3, 2017, have been adjourned to May 24, 2017, for continuation of defense.

Source: Leadership