Pastor Ashimolowo refutes land dispute allegations

Nigerian clergyman and senior pastor of Kingsway Worldwide Christian Centre (KICC) in London, Matthew Ashimolowo, has damaged his silence relating to the land dispute allegations levelled in opposition to him.

PREMIUM TIMES discovered that the administration of Arch-View Investments Restricted not too long ago filed a petition in opposition to the clergyman and submitted it to the Ogun State Home of Meeting.

Arch-View Investments Restricted accused the 72-year-old cleric of harassment, intimidation, and the illegal sale of land belonging to Bluestone Backyard Metropolis Restricted.

In response, Mr Ashimolowo, via an announcement issued by his authorized representatives and despatched to this newspaper on Friday, dismissed the allegations as baseless.

His authorized crew described the claims as not solely unfounded but additionally malicious, stuffed with falsehoods, and intentionally misrepresenting and suppressing materials details.

Moreover, they clarified that the disputed transaction on the coronary heart of the petition was strictly between Arch-View Investments Restricted and Bluestone Properties Restricted.

The assertion partly learn: “​By the agreed phrases of the Contract of Sale between each events (i.e. Bluestone Backyard Metropolis Restricted, and Arc-View Investments Restricted), dated 1st August 2022, which was entered into, after intensive deliberations, the modes of fee have been agreed to by each events as contained within the settlement.

“The fee interval was to be inside two {2} years, which fee was to be accomplished in April 2024, and however failed in 4 years of unfulfilled obligations and guarantees, regardless of a moratorium interval of over 4 months obliged to the corporate. Arch-View Funding Restricted completely disregarded the fee association, and the final fee obtained was in June 2024.”

Cost proposal

In line with the authorized representatives, Arch-View Funding Restricted repeatedly defaulted on its fee proposal, thereby undermining and disrupting the clergyman’s enterprise projections.

“​Bluestone Backyard Metropolis Restricted had on a number of occasions bent backwards in overlooking the Arch-View Funding Restricted’s default in assembly her monetary obligations as agreed to by events, which persists, and consider that it tends to recommend that ab-initio the corporate actually knew what she desired to do and the latest motion is a sign of the intent;

“​Our shopper additionally famous that, whereas stagnating funds to her, Arch-View Funding Restricted had different land transactions with some others, whereby the corporate made outright fee with stiff circumstances for the land buy she made and, in such others, was not allowed to unfold of fee, and the corporate ensured full outright fee with out fail”, added the assertion.

They acknowledged that Mr Ashimolowo demonstrated good religion and a robust dedication to fulfilling the contract whereas adhering to its phrases and spirit.

In line with the authorized crew, Arch-View Funding Restricted failed to point out satisfactory respect and dedication to its monetary obligations as agreed upon by each events.

They additional said that, thus far, Arch-View Funding Restricted has solely paid a fraction of the sale worth, amounting to lower than 36 per cent.

“​Our shopper is subsequently constrained to rethink her enterprise relationship with Arch-View Funding Restricted, and consequently terminated the contract settlement in its entirety and knowledgeable {that a} refund of the funds made can be obliged within the method it was paid, because the premise and context of the settlement have been eroded by Arch-View Funding Restricted, which isn’t acceptable to our shopper.

“​Accordingly, your organization’s workmen or officers are forthwith barred and or prohibited from coming into any a part of the 285 Acres of land topic.”

Obasanjo’s intervention

Moreover, Mr Ashimolowo’s authorized representatives said that the stalemate between each events prompted Arch-View Funding Restricted to hunt the intervention of former President Olusegun Obasanjo for mediation.

The authorized crew added that following Mr Obasanjo’s intervention, sure phrases have been proposed, which have been acceptable to the clergyman.

The phrases learn beneath: “i​-The 35 Acres on the Folakan Space (Parcel A) be launched by Bluestone on the earlier charge which events negotiated, whereas each events ought to renegotiate and comply with the present worth for Papa lanto Space; ii​-Entry to the 35 Acres shall be allowed upon formal Settlement of events on the above phrases; or

“iii​-Bluestone refunds monies paid in respect of the Papa Space (Parcel B);

iv​The mentioned refund shall be in tandem with the mode of fee by instalment made by your organization.”

The authorized crew said that Arc-View rejected the proposal and as a substitute filed a prison criticism in opposition to Mr Ashimolowo with the Ogun State Police Command.

They added that the police concluded the dispute was purely civil and, like Mr Obasanjo, intervened to mediate between the events.

“Our shopper is constrained to once more respect and honour the Establishment and specifically the DCP State CID and subsequently, makes the under-listed phrases as follows: i​-A complete of 78 Acres can be launched by our Consumer to Arc-View;

“ii​-The 35 Acres on the Folakan Space (Parcel A) can be launched on the charge per Acre agreed to on the inception of the transaction; iii-​The 43 Acres on the Papa Space (Parcel B) can be launched at a brand new charge per Acre;

iv ​Entry to each lands shall solely be allowed upon formal Settlement of events on the above phrases, which stay legitimate until shut of labor on Monday, seventeenth February 2025, and Execution of related Deeds and paperwork within the regard”, mentioned the authorized crew.

The assertion additional learn: “Arc-view was additionally notified that if we don’t obtain the corporate’s acceptance as said above, then our shopper can be constrained to rescind her rethink the place, and maintain as follows:

ii​ Bluestone shall refund the whole monies paid by your organization in respect of the land; iii​ the mentioned refund shall be in tandem with the mode of fee by instalment made by the corporate.

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“After making an attempt a number of unsuccessful mediation efforts with the involvement of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Nigerian Police, Arc-View turned to the Ogun State Home of Meeting in an try to seek out leverage the place all different avenues have failed. This raises critical considerations in regards to the true motives behind the petition. Had Arch-View been genuinely all in favour of resolving the dispute, they might have sought authorized recourse via the courts or approached related regulation enforcement companies, slightly than in search of to make use of the Home of Meeting as a software for private acquire.

“​It’s subsequently to the dismay and stunning disbelief of our purchasers, the damaging and defamatory Petition made to the Ogun State Home of Meeting, and the huge publications made by some media outfits with out prior affirmation of the true details and thereby maligning our purchasers earlier than most people;

“​Consequently, subsequently, we hereby subject a robust and unequivocal warning to all media retailers and people engaged within the dissemination of defamatory and deceptive info in opposition to Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo. Any additional try and tarnish his popularity shall be met with swift authorized motion. Pastor Ashimolowo’s picture has been critically misrepresented, and the unfold of such misinformation has resulted in important hurt to his character.

“The general public is being misled, and it’s crucial that the media chorus from additional defamatory statements or publications which can be unfounded and unsupported by factual proof;

“We additionally draw consideration to the truth that the petition offered by Arch-View, primarily based on false premises and a breach of contract on their half, needs to be dealt with via the suitable authorized channels, together with civil or prison litigation, and never via the politicization of a matter that’s purely contractual in nature.”