Court Seals De Jessica Hotel, Remands Owner, Joseph Agbala Over Alleged N627million Fraud

LAGOS – A Federal High sitting in Lagos state has ordered the closure of De Jessica Hotel, following the alleged involvement of the owner, Mr. Joseph Umezugha Agbala in a multi-million naira fraud scandal.

The court sitting at Ikoyi also ordered the remand of the owner, Joseph Umezugha Agbala, widely known as Agbala in Ikoyi Prison over alleged N627 million fraudulent acts.

The suspect was accused of swindling three businessmen; Collins Ogbuji, Uchechukwu Umeh Elxor, and Chris Brown Umeh (Eze Ndigbo Japan).

Agbala was reported to have allegedly duped each victim with eerily similar tales, coaxing them into becoming partners in his hotel venture.

The charge sheet in a suit number FHC/L/239C/2023 revealed that Agbala was denied bail following the failure of his counsel to secure him the bail.

The court declared that it refused the bail application of Agbala so as not to impede investigation.

In the charge sheet, Agbala was accused of forging a Lagos State Certificate of Occupancy and allegedly used it to collect approximately N100 million from Uchechukwu Umeh Elxor.

The counsel told the court that N185 million had already been obtained from Collins Ogbuji in connection with the same hotel.

Meanwhile, Ogbuji has said that contrary to his attempts to garner public sympathy, Agbala is now facing criminal charges from three distinct law enforcement agencies in separate courts.

According to Ogbuji, Agbala allegedly used the same hotel, De Jessica Hotel, to swindle him and the two others.

He said “Agbala, in January 2022, knowingly forged a document titled “Lagos State Certificate of Occupancy,” with the intent of using it as genuine.

“This offense is punishable under Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offenses Act Cap. M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2014.

“To exacerbate Agbala’s legal woes, the Federal High Court has ordered the sealing of De Jessica Hotel, a consequence of legal action initiated by one of the victims.

“This development directly contradicts Agbala’s false claims that Mr. Collins or the EFCC was responsible for the hotel’s closure.”