Court evicts Aqua Rapha company from Enugu depot over rent default

From Chinelo Kodilichukwu Enugu

A Magistrate Court sitting in Enugu North LGA of Enugu State has on Friday evicted Aqua Rapha company from Enugu depot over rent default.

The Nations News Nigeria reports that the company used the rented apartment at No. 4 Savage Crescent, GRA, Enugu as depot for distribution of her products at the heart of Enugu metropolis but allegedly defaulted in paying the rent.

The eviction, which lasted several hours, saw the company’s products, equipment, files and other documents evacuated from the building and dumped on the major road, just opposite Shoprite main gate in Enugu.

While executing the eviction order, the court bailiff, also recovered a sales vault containing a total cash of N773,520 before sealing and putting the building, which hitheto served as wholesale apartment of the company, under lock and key.

Explaining what led to the eviction, the Counsel to Ben Ogbu, Barr. James Edeh, said that his client the property owners, are tired of the unfaithfulness of the managers of the company in paying agreed rent as contained in the signed tenancy agreement.

Edeh noted that the company failed to abide fully with the initial three years tenancy agreement entered into in 2016 which elapsed in 2018.

“The company failed to pay an agreed installment of N300,000 meant for school fees for 2017 and 2018 after paying that of 2016 and lump sum of the tenancy agreement,” he said.

He noted further that; “even when the initial agreed tenancy elapsed in 2018, the company find it difficult to come and renegotiate the agreement, but waited after we took them to court to come and drop N4 million without renegotiate or signing a fresh agreement to be supervised by me.”

“Before paying the N4 million after being in oblivion for some years, the company representative, Mr Nwankwo, was instructed to meet with me as the lawyer managing the property but he did not abide by the simple instruction.

“We have been in court since 2020 on this matter and we have repeatedly served the company and its lawyers; they only appeared once and no more. After waiting and being patient for many years, the court issued a Warrant for Possession of Premises by the original owner.”

Reacting, the counsel to Aqua Rapha Investment company Ltd, Barr. Fidelis Okeke, said that the eviction was unfair, adding: “This is unlawful execution”.

According to Okeke, the company is up to date with its rent payment. We have paid everything.

“I will go back to my chamber and study everything concerning this embarrassing execution and I will assure you it will not stand. By Monday, I will be in court to challenge this.

“The company will surely seek redress in court and claim huge damages for this insult and reputation damage,” he said.