Two Nigerians have sent out a petition to the Vietnam embassy in Lagos accusing a Vietnamese man of duping them in a wood transaction business.
Dr Peter Sonaike, Chairman of Peter and Grace investments, accused Mr. Cuong Tran Khac, owner of a Truong Khac Lam Limited of 66, Tan Phong Hamlet, Tu Liem District, Hanoi, Vietnam of ripping off at least 32 different Nigerians in business dealings.
In a petition written to the Vietnam embassy in Nigeria by the legal council of Dr Sonaike, Okafor and Okafor. Cuong has refused to pay the sum he owed Dr Peter Sonaike, a sum of $47,160 after he received a shipment of woods from Dr Sonaike company.
Another woman, Mrs Olubakinde, accused Cuong of paying her the sum of $77,000 after she had shipped the wood as requested by Mr Cuong company.
The petition of Peter and Grace investments states that :
Despite the delivery and clearance of all 11 containers, Mr Cuong and his company Truong Khac Lam Limited refused to make payments for them. Mr Cuong and his company now claim that they bribed Vietnam police and Vietnam Customs to clear our client's containers.
Also, contrary to practice, Mr Cuong and his company claim that they paid demurrage on our client's containers, despite taking delivery of them within 14 days of the arrival of the containers in Vietnam during which the containers enjoyed free storage.
All relevant documents get to him and the shipment is on the high seas, but he kept giving excuses. The containers were sent in August 2014 and they got there as scheduled
Cuong had sent an email to Dr Peter Sonaike and said :
Since I received your shipment, the market suddenly stopped, plunging commodity prices with no brake. Our company was bankrupt. I myself have to find a new job for a living wage through this.Therefore, I am writing to apologise to you about this issue. This is an unfortunate mishap, but I absolutely do not want to cause. I want to make nice with you. I hope you will forgive and give me a chance. I will borrow and redo from the beginning when I have money I will pay you gradually.