The Inspector-General of Police has filed a 26-count criminal charge against three Ghanaian nationals and a Nigerian lawyer, accusing them of forgery, criminal conspiracy, and illegal share allocation in connection with a protracted land and corporate ownership dispute involving River Park Estate, located in Lugbe West, Abuja.
The defendants named in the suit are Kojo Mensah Ansah, Samuel Esson Jonah—a Ghanaian businessman and Knight of the British Empire (KBE)—Victor Quainoo, and Abu Arome, a Nigerian legal practitioner. The corporate entity, Mobus Property Nigeria Ltd, was also listed as a defendant in the case filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Charges Stem from Alleged Forgery and Illegal Share Manipulation
According to court documents marked CR/402/2025, the police accuse the defendants of illegally increasing the share capital of Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited from 1 million to 1 billion shares using forged documents and false claims of Nigerian nationality.
The case, filed by prosecuting counsel Isa Garba from the Legal and Prosecution Section of the Force Headquarters, alleges that between January 2010 and January 2025, the accused worked in concert to forge company documents, falsify title deeds, and fraudulently allocate 99 million shares of Jonah Capital Nigeria Ltd to themselves. The aim, police say, was to illegally seize control of Houses for Africa Nigeria Ltd and the strategic land assets within River Park Estate.
One of the key charges reads:
“That you…processed title documents of property belonging to Houses for Africa Nigeria Limited to Mobus Property Nigeria Limited with the aim of permanently depriving them of the said property within River Park Estate, Abuja, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under section 18(3) of the same Act.”
Misleading CAC with False Claims of Nigerian Citizenship
Another charge accuses Kojo Ansah and Samuel Jonah of knowingly submitting false information to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in order to manipulate the company’s share structure. The police allege the duo claimed to be Nigerian citizens to unlawfully register changes to the shareholding of Jonah Capital Nigeria Ltd.
“You knowingly submitted false information…that you are a Nigerian in order to illegally increase Jonahcapital Nigeria Limited’s ordinary share capital…which you know is false.”
Such actions, prosecutors claim, violate Section 140 of the Penal Code Law, which criminalizes submitting false statements to public authorities.
Accusations of Deceiving the Police with Fraudulent Petitions
In Count One of the charge, the defendants are accused of falsely petitioning the Inspector-General of Police and the FCT Commissioner of Police on January 23 and September 9, 2024, alleging that certain individuals—John Townley Johnson, Adeniran Ogunmuyiwa, and Paul Odili—had committed fraud and land grabbing. According to the police, these claims were deliberately fabricated to mislead law enforcement and direct investigations away from the accused’s alleged criminal activities.
Illegal Construction and Land Trespass at River Park Estate
The police further allege that the defendants unlawfully entered Plot No. 4, Cadastral Zone E30, Lugbe West—the heart of the River Park Estate project—and began constructing buildings under the name of Mobus Property Nigeria Ltd, despite the land belonging to Jonah Capital Nigeria Ltd and Houses for Africa Nigeria Ltd.
By doing so, the defendants are accused of criminal trespass, conspiracy, and impersonation, among other offences.
Defendants Face Arraignment
With charges now formally filed, the defendants are expected to appear before the High Court of the FCT to face arraignment proceedings. Legal observers say the case could set an important precedent on cross-border corporate fraud and property rights enforcement in Nigeria, especially involving foreign-owned entities and high-net-worth investors.
Background on the Parties Involved
Mobus Property Nigeria Ltd is believed to be the Nigerian arm of Mobus Property Holdings, a Ghana-based real estate investment firm. Samuel Jonah, a former CEO of Ashanti Goldfields and globally recognized industrialist, is listed as a key figure in both Mobus and Jonah Capital.
River Park Estate, situated in Abuja’s fast-developing Lugbe West area, is one of Nigeria’s most prominent real estate developments. The land in dispute lies at the core of the estate’s planned expansion, which includes high-end residential and commercial developments.
Houses for Africa Nigeria Ltd and Jonah Capital Nigeria Ltd claim rightful ownership of the plots in question and accuse the defendants of manipulating company records to assume illegitimate control.
What’s Next?
The court is expected to set a hearing date in the coming weeks. If convicted, the accused could face lengthy prison sentences, fines, and the forfeiture of assets, depending on the court’s findings.
Meanwhile, legal teams on both sides are preparing for what promises to be a high-stakes legal battle with significant implications for property ownership, corporate transparency, and foreign investment protections in Nigeria.
The Inspector-General’s office has yet to comment further on the case, but a senior police official familiar with the investigation said, “This is part of our broader effort to clamp down on corporate crimes and protect investors from document forgery, land fraud, and manipulation.”
More developments are expected as the court proceedings begin.
