The Amanyanabo of Belema Community in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, HRH Chief Ibinabo Kalaoriye has denied misappropriating funds belonging to Oko Royal House, in Kula.
Chief Kalaoriye who stated this while defending allegations leveled against him in a Suit No. PHC/1456/2013, in which the Belema Monarch and others were accused of tampering with funds paid to the Oko Royal House in Kula, Akulga by SPDC.
Chief Kalaoriye through his counsel, Talbot D. Obaye-Ekine Esq, explained that since Belema has been upgraded to community status, “it has its traditional authority which is Belema Council of Chiefs as adjudged in Suit No. PHC/1915/2003.
Obaye-Ekine maintained that, the land proposed to be acquired by SPDC for its Belema Field Logistic Base (FIB) or H-Bank Oil Development Project belongs to Belema Community. The Counsel said that, the said consent judgement was limited to a specific land acquisition for the Wayleave and Base Extension and Belema Creek Gas Pipelines Project and not for any general sharing or benefits flowing from SPDC to Belema Community. “It was for this reason that the judgement clearly state that the terms of settlement shall not be pleaded/or tendered in any proceeding or for any other purpose other than for the settlement by the three disputing parties in Suit NO. PHC/1963/1999. In Suit No. PHC/340/2006, the High Court upheld that it is for only the specific project that the Consent Judgement is relevant,” the lawyer buttressed his point.
According to Chief Kalaoriye, the 1st defendant Chief Bourdillon is not the head of Oko Royal House, Kula, but a Chief of Ekine family in the Opusingi Group of Houses in Kula.
The Belema Monarch, however alleged that N3.5m due to him and his group from the land acquisition for the Wayleave and Base extension was carted away by Chief Tamunoemi T. Felix, Chief Fyneland G.K.S Ojuka, Mr. Odieari Goodhead and Chief Bourdillon E. A. Oko.
The Royal Father said that he created the Kalaoriye Chieftaincy Stool, saying that the land which SPDC wants to acquire belongs to his domain which is an autonomous area in Akulga, “it is the community through the Belema Council of Chiefs, the traditional authority in the community that is entitled to the compensation payable by SPDC on the acquisition”.
He prayed the court to restrain all the parties in the said suit, their agents from interfering the operations of Shell in its business in and around Belema Community on the account of the Land acquisition.###
