Barely Five months after his unexpected death and before his burial, Two sons of late Anambra Billionaire and industrialist, P.O. Ogbuawa, have cried out over desperate moves by the last wife of the late billionaire, Mrs Amaka Ogbuawa to swindle the business empire the sum of 439,147 USD using the DPO of Nnewi Central Police Station and two Businessmen, Mr Nonso “NONSEC” Ukatu and Mr Augustine “AUSTINE MANUEL” Jideofor.

In a press statement signed by the two sons Uchenna Ogbuawa and Onyedika Ogbuawa and made available to BarristerNG, they raised alarm that their lives are at risk while narrating the humiliating ordeal they have been subjected to by their step mother using the DPO Nnewi Central Police Station and the duo of NONSEC and AUSTINE MANUEL.

THEIR STORY

Upon the sudden death of their father in February this year, they, as Eldest Children of the late Billionaire and surviving directors of the company took over the management of the company pending the Burial of their father in April.

Notwithstanding that their father died without a will and in their resolve to keep the peace of the polygamous family, they made sure every member of the family is well taken care of as their father was doing before his untimely death.

They successfully ran the business and maintained the peace of the family until June 2020 when they got a visit from the duo of NONSEC and AUSTINE MANUEL claiming that the late billionaire was owing a Chinese supplier, FANG DU, the total sum of 439,147 USD for supplies made to PO Ogbuawa and Son Nig Ltd and NONSEC is the sole representative of the Chinese supplier while AUSTINE MANUEL is the President of Nnewi Market Importers Association. The two men threatened to shut down the business empire if the sum is not paid immediately to the Chinese supplier through NONSEC.

At first, the two brothers didn’t take the threat serious until two full containers of imported goods belonging to PO Ogbuawa and Sons Nig Ltd was seized through the instrumentality of AUSTINE MANUEL and diverted to NONSEC’s warehouse.

In order to avoid disruption of business and not suspecting any internal betrayal, the two brothers summoned a meeting of the family with AUSTINE MANUEL and NONSEC. At the meeting, their stepmother vigorously supported NONSEC and AUSTINE MANUEL and claimed that the alleged debt to the unknown FANG DU was legitimate even without any document to prove indebtedness. The two brothers fearing disruption in the business and trusting their stepmother’s testimony of indebtedness agreed to offset the debt within two years. Upon the agreement and on the insistence of their stepmother, Amaka Ogbuawa, 100,000 USD was transferred to the personal Bank Account of NONSEC.

Immediately the sum was transferred to NONSEC, their Step Mother and the DUO of AUSTINE MANUEL AND NONSEC started harassing them to pay up the remaining sum without delay notwithstanding the two years payment agreement. This raised the suspicion of the two brothers and upon their investigation, they noticed an unusual connection between their step mother and NONSEC. They immediately sought the advice of a lawyer, who informed them that the agreement they had with NONSEC and AUSTINE MANUEL is illegal as they cannot offset any alleged debt incurred by the late billionaire until the estate of their father is settled with a letter of administration. Their lawyer also informed them that the only prove of indebtedness in the circumstances is to show appropriate documents of the debt and not by verbal testimonies. The Two brothers immediately conveyed their new knowledge to both NONSEC and AUSTINE MANUEL and hell was let loose.

POLICE HARASSMENT, HUMILIATION AND CRIMINAL PROSECUTION

Brandishing the agreement between them and the Ogbuawa Sons, NONSEC and AUSTINE MANUEL with the full support of Mrs Amaka Ogbuawa, procured the DPO of Nnewi police central police and got the official Bank account of the Ogbuawa and Sons Nig Ltd locked. Unable to access the money in the Official Account for the running of the business, the two son’s opened a new company account. They were thereafter arrested by the DPO of Nnewi Central Police Station on the instruction of NONSEC and AUSTINE MANUEL and accused of STEALING.

They were thereafter humiliated and paraded like common criminals  before the general public at the police station. The policemen thereafter dragged the two brothers to ZENITH BANK and mandated them to sign a transfer form transferring millions of Naira to the personal bank account of NONSEC but the Bank Manager sensing fraud stopped the transfer after the policemen left with NONSEC.

The two Ogbuawa brothers were later charged to Nnewi Magistrate Court for the offence of stealing from themselves. The Charge reads;

“That you Uchenna Ogbuawa and Onyedikachi Ogbuawa on or before the month of April 2020 at Nkwo Nnewi in Nnewi Magisterial District did conspire with yourselves to commit felony wit: stealing.

“That being shareholders/officials of P.O. Ogbuawa and Sons Ltd on the same date and period in the same magisterial district, did steal the sum of N23 million meant for repayment of debt of N202, 007, 600 owed Fang Du represented by Ukatu by P.O. Ogbuawa and Sons Ltd.

The Presiding Chief Magistrate, N.S.E Uzuodu adjourned the case to August 21.

THREAT TO LIVES

The two sons of Ogbuawa, Uchenna Ogbuawa and Onyedika Ogbuawa also raised alarm that their lives are in real danger as NONSEC and AUSTINE MANUEL had boasted openly that if they do not succeed in sending them to prison,  they will “waste” them.

They appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Anambra State Commissioner of Police, all security formations in the state, Igwe Dr KON Orizu 111, Igwe Oraeri and the people of Oraeri to take note of the disturbing development.