Senator Kola Balogun’s lawyer, Barrister Lateef Raheem has petitioned Oyo State Police Command to investigate series of allegations against his client by Femi Balogun and Yinka Balogun, children of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Senator Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II
Senator Kola Is also demanding for prosecution of Femi and his sister for cyber stalking which according to his lawyer is contrary to section 24(a), (b), (2c) (I) (II) of the CYBERCRIMES (PROHIBITION, PREVENTION, ETC.) ACT, 2015.
Barrister Lateef Raheem gave details of all that Prince Femi Balogun and others are asking for in his petition titled: PETITION OF CYBER STALKING AND CRIMINAL DEFAMATION AGAINST FEMI BALOGUN AND YINKA BALOGUN
In his words, as contained in the petition, “But since there is no truth in all these allegations against our client, it is our client’s instructions to plead with you to bring this unwholesome act to your notice and to kindly urge you to use your good offices to investigate the matter and prosecute Femi and Yinka for cyber stalking which is contrary to section 24(a), (b) (2) (c) (I) (II) of the CYBERCRIMES (PROHIBITION, PREVENTION, ETC.) ACT, 2015.”
This acts of alleging our client of stealing several sums when there is no truth in them also amounts to criminal defamation of our client by Femi and Yinka Balogun which your office can equally prosecute them for”, it was stated in the petition.
Below is the full text of the petition:
We are Solicitors to SEN. KOLA BALOGUN who is hereinafter referred to as our Client and on his behalf and instruction we write this letter to you.
It is our Client instructions that on the 29th September, 2023 he checked Alliwo family whatsapp group and he discovered a letter signed by Femi Balogun, (a member of the family) posted on the whatsapp group, the letter is grossly offensive, obscene, of menacing character and it was complete criminal defamation of our client character. Kindly find attached a copy of the letter. He posted the letter on his facebook page (Femi Aremo Balogun). Yinka Balogun on her own published the same defamatory message.
We would address the issues raised in that letter and the publication in seriatim as supplied by our Client:
In the first instance our Client is not in charge of management of any property of His Imperial Majesty Olubadan of Ibadan land. The sitting monarch being our Client’s brother rather sends our Client on errands and our client personally uses his own funds for the wellbeing of the Olubadan. Since His Imperial Majesty took care of him during our Client childhood like a father, our Client felt His Imperial Majesty having done all these, His Imperial Majesty deserves pay back hence our Client takes good care of him using his personal funds and not that of Olubadan.
On the first issue raised in the letter pertaining to His Imperial Majesty Olubadan of Ibadan, landed property at Abuja, what happened was that Kabiesi personally negotiated for the sale of that property wherein he agreed with the buyer to sell it for N100,000,000.00 (One Hundred Million Naira), the buyer only paid N30,000,000.00 (Thirty Million Naira) out of the agreed sum, the buyer later did a whole lot of fraudulent and shoddy things on the property without paying the balance, which made His Imperial Majesty to institute suit against the buyer, the counsel handling the matter is Waheed Gbadamosi Esq (an Abuja based lawyer) and His Imperial Majesty won the suit in court but the buyer appealed, since the matter is still in court, our client would not want to comment much on it, but certainly our Client benefited nothing from the property which is still lis pendens (still in court). Kabiesi is still hale and hearty, he can confirm all the issues relating to the property in Abuja, our Client has nothing to do with the property rather than funding the litigation on behalf of Kabiesi to protect the property of Kabiesi, what crime has our Client committed by helping his older brother in securing his property? Certainly none!
On issue of funds for installation of Baales and Mogajis, it is surprising Femi would level such an heinous crime against our Client without basis, Kabiesi appointed somebody to manage the funds on behalf of the beneficiaries, namely His Imperial Majesty, Aliiwo family sectional heads, Olubadan in Council and it was confirmed at a meeting between Kabiesi and members of the family and the woman was commended on how she discharged her duty. All these are done on the instructions of Kabiesi. Find attached minutes of the Aliiwo family commending the woman appointed to manage the fund. All that Femi and Yinka are alleging against our Client are all tissues of lies.
On the issue of First Bank funds raised by Femi, our Client informed us that the information made available to him by Kabiesi His Imperial Majesty, is that the bank took care of his flight ticket to the venue of the said event and footed his hotel bills, our Client was not involved on how the financing was done on the flight ticket and hotel bills, our Client benefited nothing from it, even as a sitting Senator as at that time, our Client has enough to himself.
Further to the above, when Kabiesi travelled on the invitation of First Bank, our Client felt it would be a right time for Kabiesi to carry out medical treatments, our Client funded the treatment from his personal purse, this ran into millions of naira, it is surprising that instead of Femi appreciating him, Femi and Yinka would rather denigrate him and call our Client a thief by their different publications. But our Client has no personal regret taking care of an elder brother who did what a father would do when our Client was growing up since their father had passed on.
On the issue of royalty paid by his Excellency Abdullahi Gaduje, that fund was not given to our Client by his Excellency, neither did the His Imperial Majesty keep the money with our Client.
Femi raised issue of award of CFR given to his Majesty. It was our Client who facilitated the award for his Imperial Majesty, everybody knows it does not attract any financial benefit, it is a national award.
Another issue was raised by Femi alleging our Client of converting his imperial Majesty properties in Lagos ceased from fraudsters by EFCC who duped Kabiesi. What happened was that an Interim order of forfeiture was granted by the court to the EFCC, there is no permanent forfeiture order granted yet, as the matter is still pending in court. How can our Client be accused of being in charge of properties that are still with the EFCC? It is a complete mischief by Femi to malign and criminally assassinate our Client character. Draft recovered about N5,000,000.00 (Five Million Naira) were given to our client he promptly handed over same to Kabiesi which are paid into his United Bank for Africa account, the records are there.
The one year anniversary celebration upon which Femi has an axe to grind with our Client is to say the least surprising. Our Client garnered his friends to assist in the heavy expenses that the one year anniversary plan entailed. Even Kabiesi who was directly concerned was full of appreciation but Femi’s interest is only to defame our Client. And even our Client made personal contributions to the fund.
Our Client is surprised that Femi is alleging him of stealing #34,000,000.00 (Thirty Four million Naira) donated by Baales. In the first instance, our Client did not receive money from any Baale, if Femi has evidence he should bring forth such evidence, all these allegations are to tarnish our Client image in the eye of a rightful thinking persons in the society. The committee of the elected Baales set up a planning committee to organize a befitting ceremony for the event and the concerned Baales raised the funds for the ceremony under the Chairmanship of Professor Soji Adejumo and a co- chairman, Oniroko of Iroko who is the chairman of the committee of the elevated bales. The elevated Baales raised the funds needed for the ceremony by themselves and used the funds for the same purpose. Our client was not even a member of the committee.
Femi and Yinka further alleged that the Allwo family has demanded transparency on this issue from our Client, this is an unfortunate lie. Our Client does not manage the personal affairs of His Imperial Majesty; the only responsibility our Client has always discharged on behalf of his Imperial Majesty is using his personal hard earned money in the endeavours of his Imperial Majesty, which our Client does not regret.
Femi raised the issue of our client late elder brother’s property; our Client is one of the administrators appointed to manage the asset of their deceased brother.
Which he has managed well and the children of the deceased are alive and they had not complain about our client.
Find attached a copy of the letter written by one of the beneficiaries of that estate. Kabiesi, His Imperial Majesty, the Olubadan of Ibadan land is still alive, hale and hearty, he does not have anything against our Client. Find attached a copy of the press release signed by his Imperial Majesty debunking all the allegations of Yinka and Femi against our Client.
But since there is no truth in all these allegations against our Client, it is our Clients instructions to plead with you to bring this unwholesome act to your notice and to kindly urge you to use your good offices to investigate the matter and prosecute Femi and Yinka for cyberstalking which is contrary to section 24 (a), (b) (2) (c) (i) (ii) of the CYBERCRIMES (PROHIBITION, PREVENTION, ETC) ACT, 2015. This acts of alleging our client of stealing several sums when there is no truth in them also amounts to criminal defamation of our Client by Femi and Yinka Balogun which your office can equally prosecute them for.
Our Client is available for further information as your officers may need to have.’
Thank you.