Investigations have revealed that a self acclaimed medical doctor, Dr. Wilfred Okoro Ogbawe has been on the prowl defrauding prospective land speculators in Benin City for some time now.
It was learnt that the said Dr. Wilfred Okoro Ogbawe who was a youth leader of Evbukhu Community situated on ward 37b Benin City according to Benin customary law has engaged in the sales of several parcels of land belonging to the village without the consent of the youths and elders in the community. The matter according to one of the community leaders who spoke on condition of anonymity got to a point when the self acclaimed Dr was invited to a meeting of both the youths and elders after he ignored several warnings from the community leadership to desist from selling their land.
“We invited him when it became glaring after investigation that he has sold off larger part of our land to put a stop to his unwholesome act since he was not carrying both the youths and elders of the community along in his transactions. At the meeting, Dr.Ogbawe, in his characteristic manner, threatened to deal with any member of the community who stands on his way in the selling of the land, however, based on the threat, the youths pounced on him. He was beaten and was subsequently prevented from entering the community.
It was further gathered that the part of the plots Dr. Ogbawe sold to most of his victims belongs to a sister community known as Amagba Community and this community is now reselling the plots to the former buyers who have the financial muscle to claim their plots. While those who could not afford to re-purchase their plots are left to the mercy of Dr. Ogbawe who has since absconded.
Reacting on the issue on phone, Dr. Ogbawe, the acclaimed medical doctor stated that he has never been a medical doctor neither did he defraud land speculators. He agreed that he actually sold the plots under contention to the buyers and that the land belongs to Amagba Village as claimed. The matter regarding the contentious land according to the former Evbukhu youth leader is in court.
He assured that he will ensure that all those he did business with regarding land transaction will get their plots back. On whether he is actually a medical doctor, Wilfred Ogbawe denied but could not prove why his land documents bear Dr Wilfred Okoro Ogbawe.
One of those allegedly defrauded, Hon Patrick Aisien, who is considering taking legal actions against the former Evbukhu youth leader explained that he got involved in the transaction with Wilfred Okoro Ogbawe after he was told by the former youth leader that he graduated as a medical student from the University of Benin specializing in gynecology and that it was based on the fact that medical professionals are upright and just persons that led him into doing business with Wilfred Okoro Ogbawe.
By Rafiu Amule
