03/24/2009

FG to recover $1.55m from Nigerian lawyer

Oluwole Josiah, Abuja

FOLLOWING allegations of fraud over the sale of Federal Government properties in the United States, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has initiated a process to recover $1.55m being tax refunds from the proceeds of the sales.

A Nigerian lawyer, Emeka Ngwuonye, acting as attorney to the Nigerian Embassy in Washington at the time of the sale, allegedly held back the amount in lieu of the debt owed him by the Federal Government for services rendered.

Ugwuonye had argued that he had an agreement with the Nigerian Embassy to put a lien (a legal hold) on the refund until the issues of the debt owed him by the government for legal services rendered by his firm were resolved.

But recalled Ambassador to the US, Brig-General Oluwole Rotimi (rtd.), insisted that the funds belonged to the Federal Government and should be returned to the nation’s coffers. Four embassy houses in Washington DC and Maryland were sold between 2003 and 2007 totalling $25m.

Spokesman for the ministry, Mr. Ayo Olukanmi, told our correspondent in an interview that the ministry was in touch with the embassy in Washington to get the details of the transactions.

He said it would not hesitate to sue Ugwuonye to ensure that the money was recovered. According to him, the ministry was doing all within its powers to recover the money and return it to the government treasury.

We are in consultation with the Ministry of Justice and if necessary, we will take legal action to recover the funds. ‘We need to have a clear picture of what the situation is before we take action,’ Olukanmi said.

He also noted that the issues surrounding the sale of the houses were different from those leading up to the removal of Rotimi, saying that it appeared that people were mixing them up.

Ugwuonye had been retained by the Embassy to oversee the sale of the property during the military era, even though the sale was eventually concluded in 2007.

http://www.e-punch.com/ ArticleText.aspx?article=24_ 03_2009_009_005&mode=1

Robot  # 1 | 24.03.2009 13:27

Punch 03/24/2009 FG to recover $1.55m from Nigerian lawyer Oluwole Josiah, Abuja FOLLOWING allegations of fraud over the sale of Federal Government properties in the United States, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has initiated a process to recover $1.55m being tax refunds from the proceeds of the sales. A Nigerian lawyer, Emeka Ngwuonye, acting as attorney to the Nigerian Embassy in Washington at the time of the sale, allegedly held back the amount in lieu of the debt owed him by the Federal Government for services rendered....Read the full article. Zanderlex  # 2 | 24.03.2009 14:30 I guess Saharareporters was right after all. One more fish caught in the act! kudos Omoleye Sowore. Thanks to nigeriavillagesqaure for lending support, We will expose them all, home or abroad, big fish or small fish the money must be recovered. long live Nigeria! Fjord  # 3 | 24.03.2009 14:50 Lolol. Uguwuonye, the same yeye lawyer suing Sowore, Aluko and Rotimi for half a billion dollars? Chei! For any arm of the Nigerian govt. to attempt to recover stolen funds from you, you either have to be dead (like Abacha), or be a lousy thief, or a really really low lowlife. Uguwuonye takes the cake. Yeye lawyer writing big big grammar; a commonplace thief in robes. Oya, make you fire everyone on NVS calling you out too lawsuit; USD$500,000,000,000 per post. Yeye dey boom. . valteena  # 4 | 24.03.2009 15:01 Sometimes I wonder what's the point recovering money from one thief only for it to end up in the pocket of another thief. I beg make I hear word from all these recover this, recover that:rolleyes:. Until there is a proper clean up of the system where we know that moneys recovered are genuine and utilised appropriately, I cease to be impressed with any story of recovered fund period. Onowu1  # 5 | 24.03.2009 15:04 Well said Villager. Where was this ministry before SR broke the news? or this forum articulated most of what was said in the press confernce? Let them inform us when they recover the money from attorney Ugwuonye or any other agent of this government who is behaving like him. I'm tired of hearing about what Yar'Adua's government or ministry tend to do.:(:(:(:( Namio  # 6 | 24.03.2009 15:52 Them recover money from banks and Dansuki give am to Abacha. Them recover money from Abacha, give am to Obasanjo. Them comu recover from Obasanjo give am to Yaradua. O ko koko o! He be like say them steal my money like one man, tell me say make I go police station go identify the thief. The only thief I see, na him be the oga police patapata. The thing wey my eye see, my mouth no fit talk o! =valteena;340180>Sometimes I wonder what's the point recovering money from one thief only for it to end up in the pocket of another thief. I beg make I hear word from all these recover this, recover that:rolleyes:. Until there is a proper clean up of the system where we know that moneys recovered are genuine and utilised appropriately, I cease to be impressed with any story of recovered fund period. udokaamah  # 7 | 25.03.2009 11:11 Folks, half truths are lies. It is wrong to say that Ugwuonye putting a lien on the tax refund due the Nigerian government is an act of stealing. In the first place, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service would never have given him access to the funds without a color of legitimacy. The Nigerian government must have given him a Power of Attorney to deal directly with the IRS with regard to her tax refunds. Secondly, he (Ugwuonye) has stated that he held on to the money because he was owed fees from a prior legal services he rendered to Nigeria. If that claim (which has not been controverted) is correct, then he is legally and ethically entitled to hold on to the portion of the tax refund that would satisfy the debt the Nigerian government owes him and return the excess, if any. Anyone who has dealt with the government of Nigeria at any level will agree that she is often a deadbeat and does not pay her bills when due. Foreign creditors would charge very hefty rates in anticipation of the fact that their bills would not be paid when due. Till all the facts are out in the open, i would refrain from calling Ugwuonye as "thief". If all the facts as stated by Sahara reporters and Ambassador Rotimi are correct, then Ugwuonye may very well be entitled to that money for prior debt owed. Nobody can remain in business if money due you for legitimate services are tied up by debtors. ikechiji  # 8 | 25.03.2009 13:37 Udokaamah, Let's assume that he is owed money by the Nigerian Embassy for prior services for which the Nigerian Govt. had been delinquent. Shouldn't he have sued the Nigerian Govt. to recover his debt (might be difficult with a Govt) and obtained a judgement thereby giving him "technical right" to part of the tax refund? As it stands, Ugwuonye could be in potential difficulty with the Maryland Bar Association for withholding his client's funds unless he has something in writing from them. I suspect that Ugwuonye might have had an agreement with the former Ambassador (Obiozor) to apply part of the refund towards his professional fees but the new Ambassador Rotimi chose not to honor the agreement leading to the brouhaha. Ikechiji BTW, my fee for this write-up is $1.55million :lol::lol::lol: =udokaamah;340422>Folks, half truths are lies. It is wrong to say that Ugwuonye putting a lien on the tax refund due the Nigerian government is an act of stealing. In the first place, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service would never have given him access to the funds without a color of legitimacy. The Nigerian government must have given him a Power of Attorney to deal directly with the IRS with regard to her tax refunds. Secondly, he (Ugwuonye) has stated that he held on to the money because he was owed fees from a prior legal services he rendered to Nigeria. If that claim (which has not been controverted) is correct, then he is legally and ethically entitled to hold on to the portion of the tax refund that would satisfy the debt the Nigerian government owes him and return the excess, if any. Anyone who has dealt with the government of Nigeria at any level will agree that she is often a deadbeat and does not pay her bills when due. Foreign creditors would charge very hefty rates in anticipation of the fact that their bills would not be paid when due. Till all the facts are out in the open, i would refrain from calling Ugwuonye as "thief". If all the facts as stated by Sahara reporters and Ambassador Rotimi are correct, then Ugwuonye may very well be entitled to that money for prior debt owed. Nobody can remain in business if money due you for legitimate services are tied up by debtors. ozoodoo  # 9 | 25.03.2009 13:50 @Udokaamah, You are effectively saying that the guy is entitled to self-help right? udokaamah  # 10 | 25.03.2009 17:57 =ozoodoo;340467>@Udokaamah, You are effectively saying that the guy is entitled to self-help right? Yes. The rules in most states permit an attorney to withhold a portion of client fund to settle prior and verifiable fees owed. In some cases it is referred to as Mechanic lien. Why would i sue you to recover my money when i have your money in my possession. You should sue me if you disagree with my estimate of the amount owed. Ugwuonye has said that he did notify the embassy of his intention to withhold the tax refund in settlement of fees owed. The Nigeria Embassy in Washington D.C., in my mind, is a sophisticated client. If their lawyer had no recourse to withhold their fund, they would have recovered it pronto. My suspicion is that there is more to this story than meets the eye. The timing is suspect. That the story is coming out now through Sahara Reporters and the dismissed ambassador and a pending lawsuit initiated by Ugwuonye against Sahara Reporters and the former ambassador speaks volume. This is all posturing. The conversation continues in our forum. Click here to read all comments