Despite Blackmail, Leo Stan Ekeh Remains Unperturbed

Not many would claim to have heard or read about him. But despite his seemingly ‘unknown identity’ he is said to have allegedly been a thick and long thorn in the flesh of Leo Stan Ekeh, CEO, Zinox Computers, in the last five years.

Society Watch gathered that the trouble between the two men began following a business transaction between his company, Citadel Oracle Concept Limited, and Technology Distributions, a company owned by Ekeh.

It was relaibly gathered that after Citadel Oracle won a contract for the supply of HP laptops to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), two of  its appointed staff/representatives, Princess Kama and Chief Igbokwe, approached Technology Distributions, an authorised HP distributor and the biggest ICT distributor in sub-Saharan Africa, to supply them the laptops on credit pending payment by the FIRS.

What began as a mouth-watering business deal between the two companies, has, however ended in a dirty and mud-sligging fight.

A source explained, “given the company’s previous bad experience and in order to avoid exposing the business to bad loans, if a client is taking products on credit for onward contractual supply to a customer, staff of Technology Distributions would have to be signatories to an account opened for the purpose of disbursement of funds as regards the contract.

“This is the only security for the laptops supplied on credit. So, Technology Distributions appointed its staff, Mr. Chris Eze Ozims and Mrs. Shade Oyebode as signatories to the account. But nowhere did they represent that they were directors of Citadel Oracle Concept Limited.” Society Watch also gathered from the source, who said, “immediately the contract was executed and payment effected by the FIRS, Technology Distributions simply deducted the pre-agreed invoice sum of the laptops and ensured its staff resign as signatories to the said account.

“The same procedure/process applied to other customers who had similar contracts with the FIRS for the supply of similar HP laptops at the same time.”

 However, crisis developed when Joseph could not agree on the profit sharing formula with his appointed agent/representative, Princess Kama. He was said to have reported the matter to the Special Fraud Unit, SFU, Force Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters in Abuja and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation.

The source added that “Since the crux of the matter was the denial by the complainant (Benjamin Joseph) of not signing the Board Resolution to the account with which the FIRS remitted payment for the supplied HP laptops, the police sent the documents for forensic analysis to determine its veracity.

The evidence, it was said, “proved that the documents were actually signed by him. In the light of this, the police discovered that the issue was indeed a civil case between Mr. Joseph and his representatives, Princess Kama and Chief Onny Igbokwe who obtained the HP products from Technology Distributions on credit. The disagreement between the trio led to Mr. Joseph petitioning the police that his signature was forged to execute the contract.’’

As revealed by relaible sources, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), who was counsel to Benjamin Joseph, tried to intervene to reach an amicable settlement of the profit-sharing dispute. But Joseph wanted the entire money without paying TD.

There was, however, a twist when it was discovered that the said documents were not forged and the computers were delivered to FIRS.

As a result, the Police then filed a case before the FCT High Court, Abuja, after forensic evidence showed that a Board resolution bearing his signature, which he claimed to have been forged, was actually his. He was sued for giving  false information to the police, an offence contrary to Section 140 of the Penal Code.

Society Watch gathered that it was on the basis of that finding that he was charged to court in 2016 in Charge No: CR/216/2016 (IGP vs. Benjamin Joseph) for giving false information before Hon. Justice Peter Kekemeke of the High Court of the FCT, Abuja.

After the police (Prosecution) closed its case in 2018, Joseph was ordered to open his defence. But rather than open his defence, he allegedly devised different tactics in his bid to sway the Attorney-General of the Federation to discontinue the criminal charge preferred against him.

Even as the legal tussle has yet to be resolved, Joseph has reportedly launched a media war against Ekeh and his wife, Chioma.  

But in the face of it all, Ekeh is said to be unperturbed for the fact that he has nothing to hide.