By Orlu Joseph Orlu
A kinsman of President Goodluck Jonathan, Prince Mike Ogiasa has been accused by an unemployed indigene of Okrika town in Rivers State, Mr. Tekena Roberts of defrauding him the sum of N40, 000.00.
Ogiasa, a former Commissioner for Special Duties in-charge of the Federal Capital Territory and the Presidency, hails from the Otuoke Royal Family, while his victim, Roberts, hails from Okrika, the home-town of the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.
Narrating his ordeal to Ogwareports, Roberts, a graduate of Maritime Management Technology of Federal University of Technology, Owerri, said Ogiasa contracted him to prepare a barbeque for 60 people that would attend the birthday of his triplets that was held on Saturday, August 5, 2012 in Yenagoa.
The Okrika youth stated that Ogiasa told him that he had paid in the sum of N30, 000.00 into his bank account as advancement for the barbeque and promised to give him the balance of N10, 000.00 when he finally brings it to Yenagoa since they agreed for N40,000.00.
He said the former Commissioner ended up not paying even a dime into his bank account as agreed and even threatened to deal with him when he requested for refund of the money, which he used to prepare the barbeque.
“Oga Mike got my phone number from one of my friends and called me on Friday to do a barbeque for 60 people who would attend the birthday of his triplets in Yenagoa the following morning being Saturday.
“He told me that he sent his accountant to pay the sum of N30, 000.00 into my account so that I can buy things to prepared the barbeque and promised to pay the balance of N10,000.00 when I deliver the barbeque in Yenagoa by 12.00 noon on Saturday.
“Unfortunately, on that Saturday, there was environment sanitation exercise in Rivers State and I could not leave for Yenagoa until 10.00 am. I even called him to tell him about my predicament.
“Due to the bad state of the East-West Road, I got to the venue of the birthday party at exactly 3.00 pm and observed that the party was still on and the invitees had not started eating. So, I set up the barbeque stand and started serving people.
“When the party was over, I approached Oga Mike at about 6.00 pm for my balance of N10,000 but he refused to pay me saying that I breached our agreement, by coming by 3.00 pm instead of the agreed 12.00 noon.
“He then threatened to call in his security details to deal with me if I don’t leave his office complex. I had to beg for some money from some people and was able to get N2, 000. 00, which I used to pay my way back to Port Harcourt,” Roberts said.
He said it was when he came back to Port Harcourt that he realised that Ogiasa tricked him into preparing the barbeque for his children’s birthday party without paying the N30, 000.00 advance payments into his account.
Efforts made by Ogwareports to reach the pompous former Commissioner proved abortive as his phone rang several times without any response.
