Sam Jonah
The Attorney General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has issued an order for the discontinuation of criminal proceedings against Ghanaian businessman, Sir Samuel Esson Jonah, and three others in the ongoing dispute involving the River Park Estate in Nigeria.
The decision follows a “comprehensive review” of investigations which held that no prima facie had been established against the business mogul, his company Jonah Capita Nigeria and three others who were charged by the Nigerian Police Force for alleged forgery, fraudulent activities and other related criminal offences.
“Following the completion of a comprehensive review of the case files and investigation conducted by the Nigeria Police Force, involving allegations against Mr. Samuel Esson Jonah, Mr. Kojo Ansah Mensah, Mr. Victor Quainoo and Mr. Abu Arome for forgery, fraudulent activities and other related offences as it pertains Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited and Houses for Africa Nigeria Limited, the Attorney General of the Federation has determined that no prima facie case has been established against the aforementioned individuals,” the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Nigerian Federation, M.B. Abubakar wrote.
The investigation conducted by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, comes after over a year long dispute between Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited and Houses for Africa Nigeria Limited, over the ownership of a property in the River Park Estate at Lugbe, Nigeria.
The decision to terminate proceedings against the four individuals was communicated in an official letter from the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), following a comprehensive review of police case files and investigations.
The Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, determined that allegations of forgery, fraud and related offences against Sam Jonah, Kojo Ansah Mensah, Victor Quainoo and Abu Arome could not be sustained.
The Attorney General’s Office also noted that investigations conducted by the Nigeria Police Force, in the matter, did not meet the required burden and standard of proof needed to establish any criminalities against the four businessmen.
The letter also confirmed the findings of a Special Investigation Panel on petitions regarding Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited, Houses for Africa Nigeria Limited and the River Park Estate in Lugbe, in March 2025, as “valid, comprehensive, unbiased and is thus affirmed.”
Mr. Lateef Fagbemi SAN, however questioned the conclusions of the investigation by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Unit, describing them as “highly misleading,” while criticising attempts to make a commercial dispute a criminal matter, contrary to Section 8(2) of Nigeria’s Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
The Attorney General in his correspondence also raised concerns about a press conference held by the police June 27, 2025, during which some persons were publicly identified as owners and managers of the River Park Estate without any judicial determination.
The Attorney General said such pronouncements were inappropriate and exceeded the lawful authority of the police.
The Attorney-General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has therefore, directed Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to “immediately rescind any administrative measures taken on the basis of the investigation report issued by the IGP Monitoring Unit (IGPMU) of the Nigeria Police Force,” the AG directed while urging the CAC to “refrain from taking any action that will undermine the authority and integrity of the Courts.”
Significantly, the Attorney General requested fresh investigations into allegations of criminal intimidation, assault and destruction of property at the River Park Estate, allegedly involving some persons acting on the orders of one Paul Odili.
The Nigeria Police Force was further asked to ensure the safety of residents of the affected property, and allow for the peaceful enjoyment of property at the estate.
The comprehensive report from the AG comes just weeks after Sir Samuel Jonah had petitioned Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration over the matter, asking for government’s diplomatic assistance after alleging the unlawful seizure of his investments in Abuja’s River Park Estate by the CAC.
The Foreign Minister, consequently, petitioned ECOWAS on the matter, during the 95th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of ministers, held in Abuja, Nigeria between December 10 and 12, 2025.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited, Kojo Ansah Mensah, has commended the Attorney General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, for the intervention in upholding the rule of law.
Mr. Mensah in a stamen notes that the intervention has restored confidence and renewed hope among foreign investors and the business community that, Nigeria remains a country governed by laws, due process, and institutional accountability.
According to him, prior to the decision by the Attorney General, his company Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited, was concerned by a series of actions that compelled them to question the integrity of the system.
These included the refusal of the Nigeria Police Force, to release an earlier Special Investigation Panel (SIP) report which had fully investigated the dispute, an alleged extra-judicial expropriation of their shares and a purported alteration of their corporate records in December 2025, among others.
Mr. Mensah thanked the Attorney General for the “painstaking “ review of their case which he noted reaffirmed the presumption of innocence and the centrality of due process in Nigeria’s justice system.
He further expressed gratitude to President Ahmed Tinubu, President of The Federal Republic of Nigeria; President John Dramani Mahama; Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration; Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed, Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria and other personalities, who through their support, helped with the cases.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak