When FIJ emailed Casafina Development on November 5 about a land refund they owed Kemi Richardson (pseudonym), a Lagos accountant, they said they would pay him on Monday.
On Monday, Casafina Development claimed they “will pay as soon as possible” again.
Richardson told FIJ that this was also what they told him in 2021, the first time he asked for his refund.
The accountant told FIJ that he purchased a plot of land from Casafina Development in 2019. The land was worth N3.5 million, excluding an administrative charge of N500,000.
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He agreed with the development company to complete the payment over 15 months. He made an initial N800,000 payment with plans balance up, but he faced some challenges.
Richardson made an initial N800,000 payment.
“My salary could no longer carry it,” Richardson said.
In 2021, when it became apparent to Richardson that he could no longer afford to complete the land payment, he opted out and requested a refund. But he would also have to forgo 30% of the money.
“The agreement was that you would be charged 30% of the money as charges, which I agreed to and then provided them with my account details,” Richardson told FIJ.
In October 2021, Casafina said that it would take them between two and 40 working days to process the refund.
Since then, Casafina has failed to complete the payment. The company kept asking for more time. Richardson waited and three years went by.
FIJ contacted Casafina on November 5 and they responded on Wednesday.
The company admitted that Richardson was one of their stakeholders in a Casavilla housing project, but that the project was “overrun by flood” and that the project could only be resolved by the government.
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Casafina also told FIJ that they would get in touch with Richardson to process the refund.
Richardson confirmed that a Casafina agent spoke to him on Wednesday.
When Richardson reached out to FIJ again on Tuesday, he said the company had yet to pay him.
“Their agent who called me mentioned Friday, or Monday at the latest. But they refused to put that in the email they sent to me,” Richardson said.
“They said they would pay as soon as possible. It’s been several years and they are still seeking as soon as possible.”
The post Casafina Development Stalls Lagos Accountant’s N560,000 Refund After 3-Year Delay appeared first on Foundation For Investigative Journalism.