v As Valentino’s lawyer writes him
There are reports that the Imo State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Simon Ebegbulem who has been berated by youths and indigenes of Okporo in Orlu LGA for making false and malicious allegations against the Managing Director of Valentino Da Vinci Nig Ltd, the Developer of Orie Okporo market and for flouting court judgement delivered in favour of Valentino by court of competent jurisdiction as regards the management and operations of the market risks jail term as Valentino’s lawyer, Dr. Onyeche Ikpeazu (SAN), has written the Commissioner and copied the Governor, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Imo State and the Imo State House of Assembly.
In the letter dated March 19, 2021 and addressed to the Commissioner, with the caption, “Re: judgment in suit no. HOR/2/2019 between Valentino Da Vinci Nig Ltd, V Imo State Government and 11 others, delivered by His Lordship, Hon. Justice L.C. Azuama of the High Court of Imo State, in Orlu judicial division” “Attempt to meddle with the said court judgment made in the above mentioned suit and the overriding consequences of competing with a valid and subsisting court judgment concerning Orie Okporo market duly delivered and managed by Valentino Da Vinci Nig Ltd” reads in part, “our client, Valentino Da Vinci Nig Ltd, was a plaintiff in the above named suit wherein the Imo State government was sued and represented as first defendant in the said suit. Sequel to the above, the honourable court in it’s magnanimity and wisdom, entered judgment in favour of Valentino Da Vinci Nig Ltd by relying on the terms of settlement dated and signed on the 14th day of January 2020”.
“That the Imo State government authorizes the Developer to construct, and develop the entire Orie Okporo market without any financial support from the former, rather the expenditure shall be borne by the Developer, who thereafter, shall manage it for a period of fifteen (15 years) to enable him recoup his return on investment”.
Barr. Ikpeazu further drew the attention of the commissioner to the consequences of flouting or denigrating the orders of court which was given after extensive deliberation and consideration of facts and evidences before the court.
“Our client informed us that soon after the present administration assumed office and Honourable Simon Ibegbulem was appointed as the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in Imo State, without recourse to the existing contract which crystallized into the Court judgment and which has been fully consummated by Parties thereto. It must be stated without fear of contradiction that any act not situated within the spirit and intendment of the contractual terms amounts to nothing but lawlessness which could trigger anarchy and attendant consequences of disobedience to constitution authority”.
