This is certainly not the best time for Chief David Kanebi Siunoje, who is popularly known as ‘Mama’ a former aide of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as one of the victims of a failed land deal called on the Monarch of Issele Uku Kingdom, to strip him of his traditional title as his recent actions is unbecoming of a titled holder.
Chief David Kanebi Siunoje, a chieftain of the Delta State All Progressives Congress, APC, who holds the traditional title of, “The Olikaeze of Iselukwu Kingdom” is allegedly standing trial in Canada for “Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment, Criminal Breach of Trust and Extortion.”
Recall that the victim of a failed land deal, Mr. Barry Ifeanyi Ogbolu, a Canadian-based Nigerian has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accusing Chief Siunoje of deceitfully extorting money from him in the pretense of selling land to him.
Mr. Ogbolu filed a petition to the anti-graft body, through his attorney, The Saleh’s & Attorneys (Dawning Chambers) (Legal Practitioners & Consultants) which was confirmed by the Anti-graft body in a letter dated 27 April 2023, with petition No. EFCC/PET/HQR/3746/2023, Mr. Ogbolu, accused Chief Siunoje of obtaining the sum of N49,000,000.00 (Forty-Nine Million Naira) on the offer to sell two plots of land situated behind the CBN building, Asaba-Delta State in which he categorically stated and laid claims of being the owner of the plots.
The victim in a new move to get back his money, in a letter through his counsel, Musa Ahmed Saleh, Esq to His Royal Highness, the Obi of Issele Uku Kingdom, Oligbo Royal Palace, Issele Uku, Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State urged the monarch to disrobe Chief Siunoje in order not to drag the image of the kingdom into the mud.
He disclosed further that Chief Siunoje facing many charges in Canada, and that he has been reported to the FBI, American Embassy, and Canadian High Commission, therefore, whoever associates with him can be tagged as an accomplice.
He stated also that Chief Siunoje allegedly targets “high-profile income married women, drug them, sleep with them and take their naked pictures and start blackmail with the idea of extorting money from the victims.”
The letter partly read:
“Our client has informed us with immutable facts and overwhelming evidence that Mr. David SIUNOJE has abused his privileges, rights, and prestige accorded to him by the esteemed title given to him by Your humble self-Sir.
“Your Highness, it will interest you to know that Mr. David SIUNOJE has been charged with sexual assault, sexual harassment, criminal breach of trust, and molestation in Canada which case came up last Month and adjourned to the 5th day of June 2023.
“He targets high profile income married women, drugs them, sleeps with them and takes their naked pictures, and starts to blackmail them with the idea of extorting money from the victims.
“We are as a matter of concern informed by our client who also resides in Canada that Mr. David SIUNOJE has been reported to the FBI, American Embassy, and Canadian High Commission, therefore, whoever associates with him can be tagged as an accomplice or one who aids and abide that particular crime.
“Your Highness, it’s on record that sometime in 2021, Mr. David SIUNOJE took our client before you for an introduction and graciously introduced our client as the person who helped him in Canada and after our client left your referred Palace, Mr. David told our client that as the Olikaeze of Isselukwu Kingdom as bestowed on him by your Kingdom, that makes him part of the king decision makers and that you, Your Highness benefited most from his enterprise.
“It’s in the above light, Your Highness, that we wish to draw your sound attention and judgment that anybody who possesses such character, attitude, and negative attributes shall not be allowed to portray the good people of your kingdom in a bad light and very uncomfortable offenses.
“Your Highness, we therefore, wish to call your attention to as a matter of concern to send a representative to enable you to have a more understanding of the case against Mr. David Siunoje on the 5th of June 2023.
“We pray and call your referred powers to excommunicate and remove Mr. David Kanebi SIUNOJE as the Olikaeze of Iselukwu Kingdom.”
Meanwhile, Chief David Kanebi Siunoje had denied his alleged arrest in Canada and being charged for sexual offenses, describing media reports on the issues as baseless and false.
Siunoje who debunked the allegation in a statement signed by his brother, Azuka Siunoje on behalf of the Siunoje family noted that there was no iota of truth in the whole report.
“We have noted with dismay, the misinformation being sold to the public through the media by some mischievous elements in their bid to injure the name of Chief David Kanebi Siunoje hence, it has become imperative that we state facts as follows, just for the records:
“As erroneously posited, Chief David Siunoje did not become a resident of Canada through an Asylum application. Since becoming a resident in Canada, he has severally visited Nigeria through the Nigerian borders and has had no issues with Canadian immigration about his status.
There is no case of sexual molestation or harassment of an eighteen-year-old girl wherein the mother embarrassed Chief David at a party as was alleged.
“At this point, it has become necessary to advise the general public and indeed the media practitioners to please discountenance the smear campaign which has become the order of the day as the Canadian authorities are now on this matter and hopefully, the law will take her full place.”
Collaborating this position, Barr O.P Eruayebure, counsel to Chief David Siunoje in a letter to said that against the media report that Chief Siunoje gave up his Range Rover 2017 model to Mr Barry Ogbolu as a move to repay him his money, said “our client’s Range Rover 2017 valued at about N90,000,000.00 (Ninety Million Naira) was snatched at gunpoint from his brother and is now a subject of a police investigation.”