Turkish Contractor Accuses Tansian Varsity Of Non-Payment Of N430m After Contract Execution

.Alleges Issuance Of N1b Dud Cheque*

By Chuks Eke

Cemhan Kucuk, a Turkish contractor, has accused Tansian University in Anambra State of wrongfully refusing to pay him N430 million for a road contract he completed for them only eight years ago.

He lamented that by doing so, the university owned by a Catholic Mission had succeeded in ruining his enterprise through acts of vindictiveness, wickedness, and total suppression, adding that along the way, rather than paying him for a job well done, they made matters worse by issuing him an N100 million dud cheque.

Engr. Kucuk, whose contracting firms are Delta Plant Production Limited and Leocen Investment and Development Limited, told reporters at a press conference that his companies are now heavily indebted to commercial banks due to the N430 million loan they obtained in 2015 to complete the road project at the University’s Umunya Permanent Site.

“These bank loans have turned into a protracted debt with unmentionable interest accumulation, all due to the University’s refusal to release payment, adding, the failure of the University now under the care of Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia headed by Cardinal Peter Okpalaeke to honour payment after the demise of the founder, Msgr. John Bosco Akam without any reason is quite worrisome”.

Engr. Cemhan Kucuk remembers the Tansian University administration awarding him the building of internal roads, culverts, and drainages at the University’s Umunya Perm Site, as well as the link roads going to the Chancellors’ Residence, in 2015.

He claimed that the university asked him to find funding for the projects, which he gladly consented to despite being a Muslim, and that after completing the project, the university management became excessively evasive, adding that after multiple visits, he was issued a bounced cheque.

“In 2015, the management of Tansian University, Umunya, awarded our company, Delta Plant Production Ltd, the construction of internal roads, culverts, and drainages at the University campus, as well as the link road leading to the Chancellors’ Residence at a cost of N430 million,” he said.

“We had an agreement. I mobilised machines, equipment and manpower to the site. I duly and fully funded and executed the contract, and same was duly acknowledged in a letter of recommendation/appreciation dated 25th November 2016 issued by the University upon presentation of a certificate of completion signed and endorsed by Tansian University in 2016″.

“After several visits and inordinate evasiveness in respect of the payment, my company was issued a dud cheque for the sum of N100 million. “This gives me a bad perception about Nigerians. It is a negative factor that is foiling the progress hoped for by the Nigerian people as regards nation-building. I am a Muslim,” he lamented.

In a petition to the Turkey Consulate in Nigeria, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, and the National Universities Commission titled “Petition Against Tansian University, Umunya, Anambra State For Corruption, Criminal Breach Of Trust, Unlawful Enrichment, Conversion Of N430 Million And Obtaining By False Pretensions Perpetrated Against Delta Plant Ltd and Leocem Investment and Development Ltd,” Turkish contractor, Engr. Cemhan Kucuk narrated how he was strung along for up to a year with the solicitation of large contracts to be awarded to his company, which turned out to be a fraud.

According to the petition dated September 3, 2023, the counsel, Lexsquires Legal Practitioners & Consultants, stated that “apparently, to perfect the scam, the University stressed the urgency of the road, which was awarded to our client’s company, which subsequently executed same with N430 million and in accordance with the contract specifications.” Our client learned that the entire operation had been a scam from the start when the contract was properly executed.”

The petition reads in parts: “Our client was strung along for up to a year with the solicitation of large contracts to be awarded his Company, Leocem Investment And Development Ltd in the University. Apparently, to perfect the scam, the University stressed the urgency of the road, which was awarded to our client’s company which subsequently executed the same with N430 million and according to the specification of the contract”.

“It was after the due execution of the contract that our client discovered that the whole scheme had been a scam from the very beginning. When the offer of the contract was introduced, it consisted of more than just a simple business opportunity for our Client, as there were follow-up letters and supporting documentation to convince our unsuspecting client that the contract was genuine. At last, our client realised that some of the documents were blatant and transparent while some were subtle and complex”.

“Acting under the misrepresentations and pretenses made by the University management, the contractor duly and fully funded and executed the contract, and same was duly acknowledged in a letter of recommendation/appreciation dated 25th November 2016 issued by the University upon presentation of a certificate of completion signed and endorsed by Tansian University in 2016″.

“After our client had completed the construction of the internal roads of the University with asphalt, concrete culverts, water drainages, walkways, dual carriageway, as well as the link roads to the Chancery, at the cost of N430 million, the University management has remained deceptive and unwilling to fulfill its obligation of paying for the services rendered by our client,”.

“Though the University, in her many deceitful and mocked correspondences to our client, confirmed and acknowledged its indebtedness to our client in the sum of N430 million only for construction of Internal Roads in the University and link road to the Chancellor’s residence and gave assurance that it would be committed to making the payment. Unfortunately, all the promises including the partial payment into the account of our client were never kept”.

“In one of its fraudulent moves, the University issued our client with an Access Bank cheque of N100 million only dated 22 January 2020, however, upon presentation, the cheque bounced (See attached).

“Eight years down the line, the management of the university has continued to play hide and seek. By their action, the management of the University made it overwhelmingly clear that ab initio, they intended not to pay any dime for the construction work; rather the sham contract, fraudulent misrepresentation, and false pretenses predicated thereon were ploys to lure our client to spend his hard-earned money on the school projects”.

The university has simply corruptly enriched itself under a fraudulent cover of funding the contract for construction of infrastructure in the University as well as the road leading to the village of one the affiliate institutions”.

“Between 2015 and 2023, our client still owes banks, vendors, and individuals he borrowed money from to fund the contracts. Our client has appealed in writing and word to the University to pay up to enable his liquidation of loan obligations to the banks, yet the University is slippery and keeps avoiding him”.

“In some of the past numerous meetings between our client’s top management staff held in the chamber of Rev Fr Edwin Obiorah SAN, with the Vice Chancellor of Tansian University, Prof Eugene Nwadialor, Mr. Innocent Ukeh, Mr. Daniel Igwe, etc. in attendance the above-named persons dubiously blocked every mean of legitimate peace resolution even while they have been using the beautiful facilities delivered by our client and his companies till date”.

“This is sad! The banks from where our client accessed the facility to fund the project have threatened to recommend our client’s company to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN for stiffer sanctions which will impact negatively on the creditworthiness of our client’s company for future loan transactions in Nigeria.

“The continued outstanding of this indebtedness may lead to its classification by the CBN. Where this happens, our client’s company may be blacklisted with the consequent placing a bank’s loans restriction on the company”.

“Because of the debt liabilities and obligations to other several vendors who are owed for about eight years now, our client and his company have been sued by his vendors, all because of the complicity and fraudulent activities of Tansian University”.

“Our client was not only defrauded, but has lost his career integrity, and as well suffered the destruction of the reputation and integrity of his company, especially with its international partners.

We are of the strong view that the actions of the management of Tansian University in the circumstances stated above clearly constitute criminal offenses of Fraudulent Misrepresentation, Corrupt Enrichment, Fraud, Obtaining by False Pretence, and Issuance of Dud Cheque among other related offenses punishable under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

“It also runs foul of the Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Act, Cap E2, LFN 2004 under which Tansian University was licensed and being regulated”.

“Though, our client has written to Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, etc. in respect of the above subject matter, however, our client, as a Turkish resident in Nigeria, wishes to bring the same to your attention. Our client implores you to use your good offices to champion his cause at the diplomatic circle and engage relevant Nigerian authorities to see that our client does not completely lose his N430 million”.

“While counting on your quick intervention; please accept the assurances of our highest esteem”.

Reacting to the development, the former Public Relations Officer of the University, Chidi-Peters Okorie, told newsmen on the phone that he was not in a position to speak on the matter.

Chancellor of the University, Senator Victor Umeh also told newsmen on the phone that he was not aware of the debt yet because since he came on board in July, this year, a university senate meeting has not yet been held

The University was founded in 2007 by Msgr Prof. John Bosco Akam who died in 2021 and is currently under the direct superintendence of the Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia following a legal contest of the deceased’s last Will.