Abuja lawyer, three Ghanaians face trial over alleged fraud

Thursday, July 10, 2025 - The Inspector General of Police has dragged an Abuja-based legal practitioner, Abu Arome, and three Ghanaians —Sam Jonah, a Knight of the British Empire, Kojo Ansah and Victor Quainoo, along with their company, Mobus Property Nigeria Ltd —before the Federal Capital Territory High Court over allegations of forgery.

In a charge marked CR/402/2025, dated June 25 but filed on June 26, 2025, by prosecuting counsel, Isa Garba, of the Legal/Prosecution Section, Force Headquarters, Abuja, the police alleged that the accused persons were involved in the forgery of company documents to illegally take over Houses for Africa Nigeria Ltd and Jonahcapital Nigeria Ltd.

The 26-count charge against the accused states that investigations revealed they illegally increased the company’s share capital, allocating 99 million shares to themselves using falsified documents and forged signatures.

The charge further states that the accused falsely presented themselves as Nigerian citizens to the Corporate Affairs Commission to facilitate their alleged fraudulent activities.

The police stated that the defendants, acting in concert, conspired to commit a felony, namely using forged board resolutions and letterheads of Houses for Africa Nigeria Ltd, an offence contrary to Section 96 and punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code.

According to the charge, the three Ghanaians and Abu Arome, “acting in concert,” forged the board resolution of Houses for Africa Nigeria Ltd to transfer 7,500,000 ordinary shares from Houses for Africa Holdings Inc. to Samuel Esson Jonah, thus committing an offence contrary to Section 362 and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Law.

Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Kojo Mensah Ansah, MD/CEO of Mobus Property Nigeria Ltd, of No. 21 Capella Place, Units 16, Eastern Region, Accra, Ghana, and Samuel Esson Jonah, KBE, of Plot 38 Maitama Sule Street, Asokoro, Abuja, between January 2010 and January 2025, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, knowingly gave false information to the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, and the Inspector General of Police, through a petition dated 23rd January 2025 and 9th September 2024, against John Townley Johnson, Adeniran Ogunmuyiwa, and Paul Odili, alleging offences of fraud, land grabbing, and identity theft, and misled the police officers, which you knew or believed to be false. You thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 178 of the Penal Code Law.”

Count two states: “That you, Kojo Mensah Ansah, MD/CEO of Mobus Property Nigeria Ltd, and Samuel Esson Jonah, KBE, between January 2010 and January 2025, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, knowingly gave false information to the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, and the Inspector General of Police, through a petition dated 23rd January 2025 and 9th September 2024, against John Townley Johnson, Adeniran Ogunmuyiwa, and Paul Odili, alleging offences of fraud, land grabbing, and identity theft, and misled the police officers, which you knew or believed to be false. You thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 140 of the Penal Code Law.”

Count three states: “That you, Kojo Mensah Ansah, MD/CEO of Mobus Property Nigeria Ltd, of No. 21 Capella Place, Units 16, Eastern Region, Accra, Ghana; Samuel Esson Jonah, KBE, of Plot 38 Maitama Sule Street, Asokoro, Abuja; Victor Quainoo, of Glory Court, Dan Suleiman Street, Utako, Abuja; Abu Arome, 35 years, of Jinifer Plaza, CBD, Abuja; and Mobus Property Nigeria Ltd, of Plot 38 Maitama Sule Street, Asokoro, Abuja, between January 2010 and January 2025, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired to commit a felony, namely forgery of board resolutions and letterheads of Jonahcapital Nigeria Ltd. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 96 and punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Law.”

Count four reads: “That you, Kojo Mensah Ansah, MD/CEO of Mobus Property Nigeria Ltd, of No. 21 Capella Place, Units 16, Eastern Region, Accra, Ghana; Samuel Esson Jonah, KBE, of Plot 38 Maitama Sule Street, Asokoro, Abuja; Victor Quainoo, of Glory Court, Dan Suleiman Street, Utako, Abuja; Abu Arome, 35 years, of Jinifer Plaza, CBD, Abuja; and Mobus Property Nigeria Ltd, of Plot 38 Maitama Sule Street, Asokoro, Abuja, between January 2010 and January 2025, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired to commit a felony, namely forgery of board resolutions and letterheads of Houses for Africa Nigeria Ltd. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 96 and punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Law.”

To prove its case of fraud, forgery, and impersonation, among other charges, the police listed several exhibits alongside the charge, including letters of petition to the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command.

The charge also included copies of the final police investigation report, statements from the defendants, and a letter of relinquishment of 8,000,000 shares allegedly signed by John Townley Johnson on Houses for Africa Holding Inc. letterhead, which forensic analysis has confirmed to be forged.

Other exhibits included a board resolution of Houses for Africa Nigeria Ltd, dated 9th September 2013, appointing and removing directors, various status reports from Houses for Africa Nigeria Ltd and Jonahcapital Nigeria Ltd, all of which were allegedly done through fraudulent means.

The charge was also accompanied by forensic reports from KeyForensics Ltd and the Nigeria Police, dated November 29, 2024.

Furthermore, the board resolution used to remove Nigerian directors from Jonahcapital Nigeria Ltd/Houses for Africa Nigeria Ltd, the board resolution used to increase the share capital of Houses for Africa and Jonahcapital, and title documents processed by Mobus Property Nigeria Ltd, were listed as exhibits by the police, as they were done without authority and fraudulently.