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Popular Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh, alongside her bodyguard, one Gbenga, has been summoned to appear before the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Wuse Zone 6 for alleged assault and trespass.
The defendants were summoned in a suit with case number CR/359/2024, filed by the Chief Executive of Skyewise Group Limited, Elvis Abuyere, the owner of an Abuja-based car dealership company.
The Magistrate, Iyanna, ordered Dikeh and Gbenga to appear before the court on August 24, 2024, to answer for charges against them.
According to Iyanna, the Nollywood actress approached the car company, whose owner reportedly has a dealership relationship with Mikano, in January for the purchase of a brand-new Changan Uni-K 2023 model from Mikano Motors.
The plaintiff went ahead to pay Mikano 85 million naira for the car with an agreement that Dikeh would complete the balance in instalments within three months of receiving the vehicle.
The actress surrendered her used 2008/2009 Lexus valued at 37 million naira as an initial deposit before making an additional 3.5 million naira payment but failed to settle the balance at the expiration of the payment window in April.
This breach of agreement forced Abuyere to retrieve the car from Dikeh on May 1 after several failed efforts to collect the balance.
The screen diva later paid 42 million naira in three instalments of 20, 17, and 5 million naira, leaving an outstanding of 2.5 million naira.
Dikeh accused of assault and property damage
Having regained possession of the prized asset, Dikeh contacted the car company on July 30, requesting to have her car serviced, and it was taken for maintenance.
Upon completion, the company demanded the remaining 2.5 million balance from her.
However, things took an ugly turn when the actress reportedly forced her way into the business premises of the complainant in Maitama, in the company of her bodyguard and two ladies, thereby committing "criminal trespass."
Dikeh is also accused of assaulting the car dealer and some staff members of his company. The four individuals were said to have disrupted business operations at the car company, damaged property, and threatened to smear the complainant's business on social media.
Subsequently, they were arrested by the police.