Bianca: Judge Adjourns Suit till February 29

A Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere, presided over by Justice Abdulfattah Lawal, on Tuesday fixed the continuation of cross-examination of Bianca Ojukwu, the widow of the late Ikemba of Nnewi, Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, in the ongoing legal battle between her and his brothers over the company’s property, Ojukwu Transport Limited (OTL), till February 29, 2016. The judge arrived at the decision after Bianca’s lawyer prayed for an adjournment to allow her file an amended writ of summons. At the commencement of hearing into the case yesterday, Bianca’s lawyer, Nick Omeje”Ž, informed the court that he had an amended Writ of Summons, together with an additional Statement of Claims. Bianca had informed the Court on Monday that she was the only legally married wife of the late Ojukwu. The former beauty queen also told the Court that neither she, nor her ”Ž children are directors and shareholders of the company’s properties OTL. Bianca had on behalf of her two under-aged children, Afamefuna and Nwachukwu, dragged Ojukwu Transport Limited OTL and seven others before the Court over an alleged move by the family to eject her sons from the company’s properties located in Lagos. The former Nigerian Ambassador to Spain had also urged the judge to issue a declaration, that her children are entitled to the possession and occupation of one of the properties known as No 29 Oyinkan Abayomi street, Ikoyi Lagos until the harmonisation of the management and administration of the assets of the First Defendant, OTL. Joined as defendants in the suit are; Prof Joseph Ojukwu, Engr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, Lotanna Putalora Ojukwu, Dr Patrick Ojukwu, Arc Edward Ojukwu, Lota Akajiora Ojukwu and Mrs Massey Udegbe doing business under Messey Udegbe & Company. According to the suit, the claimants prayed the judge to declare that the threat of forceful ejection from 29 Oyinkan Abayomi Street by the defendants is illegal. She is also asking the court for a declaration that her children are entitled to possess the following property, namely: No 13, Hawksworth Road, Ikoyi now known as No 13 Ojora Road, No 32A Commercial Avenue, Yaba, Lagos; No 30 Gérard Road ”Ž, Ikoyi, Lagos; No 30 McPherson Avenue, Ikoyi. According to her, the properties were under the possession of late Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu  the father of the claimants from the time the properties were released from government acquisition till date. The claimants stated that throughout the period their father was struggling to retrieve the properties from the government, the second to seventh defendants “never played any role in the struggle nor contributed financially or otherwise to the realisation of the struggle.””Ž