Olasijibomi Ogundele, a luxury apartment builder and popular Lagos socialite has been arrested by operatives of the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) in Abuja for alleged fraud involving $325,000.
Ogundele, publicly known as Sujimoto and CEO of Sujimoto Holdings is under investigation around a real estate deal dating back to November 2020 in which Sujimoto Construction Limited reportedly received the sum from a client, Kabiru Garba Ibrahim, as part of a $650,000 agreement for a property at LeonardoBySujimoto Homes.
The client, through his lawyer Pelumi Olajengbesi, filed a petition claiming Mr. Ogundele and his company failed to deliver the promised property or refund the money, leading to accusations of obtaining money by false pretence and criminal breach of trust.
The FCID began investigating and invited Mr. Ogundele in May 2024, but he did not comply, opting to file a suit against the police to halt the investigation.
When contacted by a media source, the spokesperson for the FCID, Funmi Eguaoje, confirmed the ongoing probe, while noting that Mr Ogundele was detained on Wednesday when he could not meet his bail conditions.
“He came on invitation on Wednesday but they couldn’t resolve the matter as of yesterday,” Ms Eguaoje, a Deputy Superintendent of Police said.
According to the report, an Assistant Commissioner of Police had to personally intervene in Lagos, compelling Mr. Ogundele to appear in Abuja.
Upon arrival, he was detained as he could not meet bail conditions but was later released. Efforts to obtain a comment from Mr. Ogundele’s legal team were unsuccessful.
In July, Mr. Ogundele announced a $225 million luxury project, LeonardoBySujimoto, set to surpass the NECOM House as West Africa’s tallest building.
He said the development will feature electric vehicle charging stations, an IMAX cinema, and virtual golf facilities.
