Encomium
THE raging battle between former international soccer star, Kanu Nwankwo and his business partner, Ayo Gam-Ikon will be
decided in a civil court…as the criminal case has finally been decided.
The partners, who jointly own The Hardley Apartments (on Waziri Ibrahim, Victoria Island, Lagos), parted ways on a bitter note a few years ago and accusations flew left and right.
And one of the fall out of the bitter disagreement was a criminal case instituted against Ayo Gam-Ikon. The gentleman was accused of stealing, fraudulent misappropriation and fraud.
But the lawyer representing Gam-Ikon informed us that the case has been decided, and his client discharged and acquitted.
The letter he sent to us last week reads…
PRESS RELEASE
This is to inform gentlemen of the Press that Mr. Ayoola Gam-Ikon who was arraigned on the 4th of March, 2013 in CHARGE NO: B/13/2013 with one other on a 21-count charge of Stealing, fraudulent misappropriation and outright fraud against The Hardley Apartments Ltd., a hotel jointly owned by Mr. Kanu Nwankwo and Mr. Ayoola Gam-Ikon was discharged on the 30th of July, 2015 of the entire allegations at Court II, Lagos State Magistrate Court, Igbosere presided over by Mrs. Awogboro.
The special Police Prosecutor, Mr. Animashaun from I.G. Monitoring Unit, Force Headquarters who was prosecuting Mr. Ayoola Gam-Ikon had forwarded the Case File to the Federal Ministry of Justice for the rendering of a legal advice on the criminal charge. The Federal Ministry of Justice in their legal advice to the Police which was read in open Court found that The Hardley Apartments Ltd., was jointly owned by both Mr. Ayoola Gam-Ikon and Mr. Kanu Nwankwo and that the dispute between them was commercial in nature which can only be settled in a civil Court as there was no iota of crime involved.
Mr. Ayoola Gam-Ikon discharge upon the legal advice amounted to an acquittal in law.
Dated this 14th day of August, 2015
CLEMENT ONWUENWUNOR, ESQ.
At the height of their disagreement, many moves to embarrass and shame were mooted. With the police actively involved to unravel the level of criminality.
And now that the criminal case has been decided, the res (the subject matter which is the ownership of the business and how to share the proceeds) is back in the civil court.
Kanu and Gam-Ikon are reportedly partners in a few businesses, with The Hardley Apartments, reportedly worth about N3 billion at its peak during the loom in hospitality business, as their cash cow.
The 55 room and suite boutique hotel was opened in 2005, and enjoyed tremendous patronage. But many factors damaged the relationship of the erstwhile friends and partners.
And with Kanu now taking over the business, Gam-Ikon is in court to demand winding up of the hotel and compensation. The battle ground is now the commercial court.
Kanu Nwankwo again crept into the news lately over the sealing of Hardley Apartments by Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (on Monday, August 3, 2015) for noise and air pollution.
The hotel was re-opened on Thursday, August 6, 2015, with the instructions that the generator be refurbished or replaced, and a fine of N500,000 paid.
