An Imo state High Court presided over by Hon Justice Ann Ononeze-Madu handling the case of illegal sale of Imo NUJ Press Centre along Port Harcourt Road, yesterday while hearing the matter warned the Respondents: Chris Isiguzo,Chris Akaraonye and Juliet Dim and their associate,Enedo Enterprise to stop their frequent invasion of the property pending the determination of the matter before it.
The court cautioned that further attempt by the Respondents to do any thing that will act as an attempt to disrespect his court would attract the full wrath of the law.
The court made the order following the submissions made by the Applicants led by Comr Precious Nwadike, Steve Uzoechi,Lambert Ojukwu,Imo NUJ through their counsel,Prof Francis Dike , SAN who informed the Court about incessant harassments of NUJ members by the Respondents,Chris Akaraonye ,Juliet Dim ,Chris Isiguzo and their lawyer.
The Respondents had sold the NUJ secretariat(Press Centre ) at Port Harcourt Road, Owerri in 2021 to one Enedo Enterprises.
The Respondents were said to have sold the mighty complex to a former Governor of the state at a paltry sum of twenty million (N20m) on several occasions.
They had also gotten a spurious judgement by the Enedo Enterprises which they illegally sold the property to.
Since then they have been invading the premises,laying claim to the property .
The counsel to the Applicants,Prof Dike further informed the court that the claiming of ownership by the Respondents has no legal backing, submitting that those involved in the purported transaction are not original members of the Union therefore lacked legal capacity to represent it.
He also submitted that the leadership of the Union was a subject to litigation before the National Industrial Court of Nigeria ,NICN,since 2019 and wondered why the so called representatives embarked on the illegal sale of the property in 2022.
Upon hearing the submissions of both counsels the presiding judge ruled that both parties should restrain themselves from any action that can disrupt the court process, pending the determination of the matter.
The case was adjourned to November 2 1 for further hearing.
