Christ Embassy Sued

An Abuja High Court on Wednesday ordered Christ Embassy Church to pay N1 million to Ivory Properties, Managers of Coscharies Plaza, as damages.

Presiding Justice, Mohammed Dodo, gave the order after finding the Church liable by bridge of contract. “This court is awarding the sum of N1 million as damages, N2,167,187.50 being arrears of rent owed the plaintiff, N350,000 being cost of renovation carried out by the plaintiff after the defendant had vacated the property and N200,000 for cost of action,’’ Dodo said. The plaintiff (Ivory properties) had stated that it granted for one year a portion of the first floor Office of Cosharies plaza, Wing B, from October 1,

2005 to September 30, 2006 to the defendant (Christ Embassy) to be used as Church. “Christ Embassy stayed three months after the expiration of its tenancy without paying in full” adding that the rent to be paid by the defendant from Oct. 1, 2007 to Sept. 30,

2008 was N3,318,750, but they made part payment of N1.5 million only in July 2008. The counsel to the plaintiff Seun Olekeogun said “the defendant’s failure to pay its rent in whole sum and being in arrears is a breach of contract, thereby entitling the plaintiff to a claim of damages.” The defendant never appeared in court to defend the claims and so lost opportunity for cross-examination of witnesses.