The former president of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick has accused popular musician David Adeleke aka Davido and his aide Israel Afaere of stealing and defamation.
Pinnick and his company, Brownhill Investment Company Limited, have thus followed up the accusation with a petition tabled before the Lagos State Commissioner of Police.
The sports administrator in the petition filed on his behalf by his counsel Osaruyi Ayela-Uwangue, urged the police to investigate Davido’s alleged criminal action with a view to prosecuting him.
The petition reads thus in part; “It’s clear that Davido acted criminally in collecting payment for two events on the same date in two different continents. It is also clear that at the time he obtained the sum of $94,500 from our client under the false pretense of performing at the ‘Warri Again’ event, he actually acted criminally as he had no intention of showing up to perform at the event.
Davido’s criminal conduct is further confirmed by the following facts: Refusal to respond to Our Client’s Letter of Reminder dated 29th September, 2023. His statement that he will not refund the payment collected from our client. The fact that he has already planned a similar event for Warri in December 2023.
‘‘We humbly request that you use your good offices to investigate the criminal action of Mr, David Adeleke a.k.a Davido, in respect of his criminal act of defrauding Our Client with a view to prosecuting him for the same.”
Recall that Pinnick in a suit filed earlier had narrated that in early 2023, Davido approached Pinnick at the Abuja Airport and asked to be a part of the 19th edition of the ‘Warri Again Concert’ event to be held on October 6, 2023.
The claimant noted that Pinnick was hesitant to honour the request, but eventually did as they agreed to pay Davido N70m to perform at the event.
It said afterwards the sum of US$94,500.00 (an equivalent of N70m) was paid on April 6, 2023, and the same was duly acknowledged by the defendants.
According to the claimant, Davido did videos to promote the event ahead of time, but failed to show up on the day of the event.
The claimant went further to note that it spent heavily on print and social media adverts and promotions for the event.
It added that on September 29, 2023, which was exactly a week before the date of the event, a formal letter of reminder was sent to Davido in respect of the event
It stated that the letter contained the flight itinerary of the private jet chartered to personally convey him and his team to and from Warri, Delta State for the event, thereby incurring additional expenses of $18,000.
It said all attempts to reach Davido and his team on the day of the event, October 6, 2023, proved abortive.
It added that Davido had also collected payment in respect of an event slated for the same date at Lux Nightclub Melbourne, 373 Chapel St South Yarra, Australia.
According to the Petition, Davido eventually performed at the event in Chapel St South Yarra, Australia, while ignoring the ‘Warri Again’ event.
 Amaju Pinnick has accused popular musician David Adeleke aka Davido and his aide Israel Afaere of stealing and defamation.){kind=link}