By Daily Sports on March 26, 2019
The Federal High Court sitting in Benin City on the 5th of March resolved a long running saga over the ownership of Megapp FC, the grassroots club that produced top Nigerian professional footballers Isaac Success and Mikel Agu. The case had raged on for a number of years over who had the right to receive training compensation money for Isaac Success since he moved from Nigeria to Europe for professional football.
The parties to the dispute were Douglas Idahosa, a renowned Benin city-based grassroots football coach and Emmanuel Echiejile, elder brother of Super Eagles player Edison Echiejile.
The latter had complained to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleging that Douglas Idahosa and some others illegally claimed money from foreign clubs illegally for the transfer of Isaac Success, since he was the rightful owner of Megapp FC, the grassroots club that Success played for in Nigeria.
The High Court however ruled in favor of Idahosa as the rightful owner of Megapp FC and quashed all the charges of the EFCC against Idahosa and others.
Now the legal representatives of Mr Idahosa, Dele Igbinedion chambers have formerly written to the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) notifying the body of the court’s decision.
The letter from Dele Igbinedion chambers to the NFF dated 19th of March and signed by Lawretta A Okukpon (Esq) reads in part:
“We continue to act as solicitors to Mr Douglas Otaniyen Idahosa, president and chairman of Megapp Football Club (hereinafter referred to as our client) and on whose instructions and behalf we write.
“You may recall that the....EFCC arraigned our clients and 4 others......before the federal High Courts, Benin Judicial Division on alleged crimes relating to or incidental to ownership of club.
“The court in a well considered Ruling on the 5th day of March 2019 discharged and acquitted our client on all the counts. Find attached the Certified True Copy of the enrolled order....
“This letter is just for record purposes and the necessary actions.”
It was reported that some officials of Megapp including the Club’s secretary Kindness Ohiowele had been in EFCC’s detention weeks, but the High Court ordered their immediate release.
Idahosa recently took to Facebook to celebrate his victory over Echiejile in the High court, saying he “...sincerely thanks all our supporters for this breaking news: Elderson and Emmanuel Echiejile have been defeated in the Federal High Court today over the ownership of BJ-Megapp FC. Who God has blessed, no man can stop.”
Emmanuel Echiejile came into the picture of football fans in Edo state circa 2009 after the successful transfer of his younger brother Eldeson to FC Rennes of French Ligue 1.
•Photo shows the copy of the letter Douglas Idahosa wrote through his lawyers to the NFF informing them of his vindication by the Benin High Court.
Source Daily Sports
Posted March 26, 2019
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