Mall manager reacts to allegation of looting of shops by ex-minister Gbagi

A former Manager of Robinson Mall, Effurun, Warri, belonging to Chief Kenneth Gbagi, Edirin Faka, has reacted to allegations of looting of goods and furniture worth N50 million by a former tenant of the mall, Raymond Anozie.

Anozie, had in a statement sent to Ripples Nigeria, accused the Delta politician, Gbagi of masterminding the locking and looting of goods and furniture in the four shops he rented at the mall.

According to Anozie, his sin was demanding for the N840,000 debt Chief Gbagi was owing him, being the value of goods the Delta governorship hopeful collected from his staff.

Faka, who was mentioned in the allegation by Anozie, however explained in his reaction that the businessman resorted to painting Gbagi black in order to cover up for his inability to render account for monies expended for the maintenance of the mall.

He said: “I have read the feed back and response from the above post from Chief Raymond Anozie and I would tell you all that is not what transpired.

“When Chief Kenneth Gbagi realized that there had been misappropriation of funds of the mall maintainance account by Chief Raymond, he called for a meeting between myself, Chief Raymond Anozie and himself, Chief Kenneth Gbagi.

“But when the meeting was to start, Chief Anozie came with a man to the meeting, which he introduced as his friend to Chief Gbagi and he was allowed as a witness in the meeting.

“In the meeting, Chief Gbagi was clear about funds meant for the mall which was mismanaged by Chief Anozie and was not properly accounted for and requested he provide neccessary documented expenditure of the mall.

“Chief Raymond could not provide any documents while we were at the meeting that morning. So he requested to be given until 9pm same day to go home and bring documents concerning all expenses made in regards to the mall, which Chief Kenneth Gbagi agreed and instructed we both (Myself and Chief Raymond) do the account before the slated meeting for 9pm same day.

“I waited and Chief Anozie never showed up. I called him severally and he didnt take my calls. Three days later, I called him again and he picked up the phone and told me he was on his way to Lagos, saying he would be back in a week. He said he would bring the documented expenditure and we would do the account together.

“I waited for days into months and never heard from him. The next document I saw from Chief Anozie was a court summon requesting for damages to the tune of N4,800,000 naira.

“Now he is asking for N50 million naira. You can clearly see the contradiction there. If he knows his hands are clean, why not tender all the documented financial facts before the court he ran to for protection and justice, instead of tarnishing the image of a man who has done him no wrong.

“The truth is if he has nothing to hide and his hands are clean, he would have come up with all the expenses as requested by Chief Kenneth Gbagi.

Read also: More controversies, as businessman accuses ex-minister, Gbagi, of unpaid debts, looting of shops

“I was in that meeting there was no time any police was around or guns pointed at Chief Anozie.”

Faka’s reaction was however silent on allegations that Chief Gbagi is indebted to the businessman and that his shops were looted and rented out to new tenants while his tenancy was still subsisting.

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