The Great Deception: How Criminals Used the Courts to Steal PMAN’s Assets

 

By Aisha Ahmed Tanko,

Investigative Journalist & Legal Analyst

March 16, 2025

The unfolding fraudulent scheme to hijack the Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN) through a deceptive court process is an audacious attempt to exploit the judicial system for illegal gain. This calculated plot—masterminded by Tee Mac Iseli and executed through a fraudulent consent judgment in Suit No: NICN/LA/360/2024—aims to take control of PMAN’s assets, particularly its Lagos office, the Nigerian Music House at 4B Hammed Kasumu Street, Chevy View Estate, Lagos. This brazen fraud, which involves a deliberate misrepresentation of facts and judicial manipulation, is not only an abuse of court process but also a criminal offense punishable under Nigerian law.

In a desperate attempt to enforce their fraudulent consent judgment, the conspirators—led by Tee Mac—are now seeking an order of court to take over PMAN’s Lagos office. However, their plan is fundamentally flawed for one glaring reason: the Nigerian Music House is not legally owned by PMAN. When Pretty Okafor’s administration moved to acquire the property, it was advised not to register it in PMAN’s name to prevent seizure by creditors, particularly AMCON, which had taken over PMAN’s debt from the now-defunct Afribank PLC.

Thus, if the fraudulent actors attempt to enforce the consent judgment against PMAN’s Lagos office, they will essentially be seizing a property that does not belong to PMAN but remains legally owned by a third party. This is a clear case of attempted criminal conversion, and any individual or entity that attempts to enforce the consent judgment in this manner could be held liable for fraud, obtaining by false pretenses, and conspiracy to commit a crime under Sections 419 and 516 of the Criminal Code Act.

Under Nigerian property law, a court order cannot be used to seize property that does not legally belong to the judgment debtor. Since PMAN’s name does not appear in the Lagos Land Registry as the legal owner of the Nigerian Music House, any attempt to take over the property is legally invalid and unenforceable. The fraudulent actors behind this scheme will be in violation of the law and could face civil and criminal liability.

Attempting to enforce a judgment against a property that is legally owned by a third party is not only fraudulent but also constitutes contempt of court. Courts do not issue orders in vain, and any fraudulent misrepresentation before a judge to obtain an enforcement order could lead to serious legal consequences for the perpetrators, including imprisonment.

Since the fraudulent consent judgment itself was procured through deception, any attempt to use it to take over a third party’s property could be classified as obtaining property by false pretenses, punishable under Section 419 of the Criminal Code Act. The masterminds of this scheme—including Tee Mac and his co-conspirators—are effectively committing an offense that carries a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years.

Tee Mac Iseli, a former PMAN President, is the key architect of this fraudulent attempt to hijack PMAN’s leadership and assets. His involvement is particularly disturbing given his history with PMAN’s financial troubles. Under his past leadership, PMAN took a loan from Afribank PLC, which was never repaid, leading to AMCON’s takeover of the debt and subsequent restrictions on PMAN’s bank accounts. Instead of rectifying past financial mismanagement, Tee Mac has now orchestrated a fraudulent scheme to illegally claim PMAN’s assets through a judicially manipulated consent judgment. His actions represent a blatant abuse of court process and a threat to the rule of law.

It is also important to note that Tee Mac was responsible for leasing, selling, or otherwise transferring PMAN’s Abuja land to House on the Rock Church decades ago. This transaction, which deprived PMAN of a valuable asset, was only uncovered and reversed through the efforts of Pretty Okafor, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS). Following Tee Mac’s arrest at the time, it was discovered that he had attempted to fraudulently change PMAN’s registered name from Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria to Performing Musician Association of Nigeria—removing the word “Employers” and the letter “s” in “Musicians” to obscure the title of the Abuja property and prevent its recovery. The unraveling of that fraud showed the extent to which Tee Mac was willing to go in manipulating legal records to cover his tracks. Now, he is charging Fruithful Mekwunye and others to orchestrate a similar fraud in Lagos, using a court order to seize PMAN assets. Given these revelations, steps are already being taken to reopen the case of Tee Mac’s fraudulent dealings in Abuja, as exposing his past crimes will shed further light on the true intent of those attempting to use a fraudulent consent judgment to take over PMAN properties.

The fraudulent judgment obtained in Suit No: NICN/LA/360/2024 is being challenged in court. PMAN, under the leadership of Pretty Okafor, has filed legal proceedings to have it set aside on the grounds of fraud, misrepresentation, and lack of jurisdiction.

Petitions are being prepared for submission to the Nigeria Police Force, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate and prosecute conspirators for obtaining a fraudulent judgment, conspiracy to commit fraud, and attempted unlawful conversion of property.

Any legal practitioners involved in procuring and seeking enforcement of this fraudulent consent judgment will be reported to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) for misconduct, professional negligence, and abuse of court process.

The fraudulent actors behind this scheme must be held accountable and brought to justice. Nigeria’s legal system cannot afford to allow judicial processes to be manipulated by fraudsters seeking personal gain at the expense of justice and institutional integrity. Tee Mac’s fraudulent legacy must be fully exposed, and those involved in the current scheme must face the full force of the law.