Autumn Spikes, an ex-lover of Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote has been evicted from her apartment in North Miami, Florida, U.S., over six months rent pillage.
This revelation by Premium Times comes just a few days after newsmen reported that the Miami Dade County court had given Ms. Spikes 20 days to respond to the court papers Alhaji Dangote had filed against her.
Ms Spikes, who says she secretly dated the business mogul for 10 years until the latter part of 2020, was grappling with accumulated rent arrears of $13,230 for the months of March to August 2020.
According to court documents, the landlord of the property, The Shoreline at SoleMia, 2301 Laguna Circle, North Miami, Florida, issued Ms Spikes with a 30-day ‘Pay or Vacate’ notice on August 5.
However, she remained in the apartment and at the expiration of the ultimatum, the landlord, on September 19, 2020, dragged her to the same court that Mr. Dangote sued her.
The landlord’s complaint in the eviction suit as obtained by Premium Times reads in part, “Plaintiff owns or is the lessor of the real property, the premises:
“The Shoreline at SoleMia, 2301 Laguna Circle Apt 1708, North Miami, FL 33181.
“Tenant retains possession of the premises under a written lease requiring rent of $2,215.00 per month to be paid the first of each month.
“A copy of relevant portions of the lease is attached hereto and incorporated herein as plaintiff’s Exhibit A.
“Tenant failed to pay rent for March, April, May, June, July and August.
“Tenant owes plaintiff rent the months stated in paragraph 6 herein in the total sum of $13,230.00
“Plaintiff served tenant notice to pay or vacate the premises on August 5, 2020, as shown by copy or copies of the notice(s) attached hereto and incorporated herein as plaintiff’s Exhibit (s) B, but the tenant refuses to do either.
“In accordance with Fla. Stat. (Florida Statutes) Section 83.60(2), if the tenant fails to deposit the sum of $13,230.00 in the court registry, plus rent which accrued during the pendency of this action, then the plaintiff is entitled to a default judgment for removal of the tenant and to recover a judgment for rent due and owing costs in accordance with Fla. Stat. Sections 83.59 and 83.625.
“Failure of the tenant to pay rent as due caused plaintiff to retain undersigned counsel and incur reasonable attorney’s fees and costs, which tenant should pay pursuant to Flat. Stat. Sec 83.48 and the lease.
“Wherefore, plaintiff demands judgment for possession of the premises, rent, due, court costs and attorney’s fees against the defendant and other available remedies in accordance with Fla. Stat. Section 83.625 and for such other relief this court deems just and proper.”
It was gathered that all attempts to have Ms Spikes personally served with the documents issued at every stage of the suit failed.
With Ms. Spikes being unreachable, the landlord on October 10, filed a motion for default judgment, a request for the court to deliver its verdict based on the plaintiff’s claims alone.
On October 21, the court delivered a default judgment in favour of the plaintiff.
The court, on October 24, issued a ‘Writ of Possession’ commanding the Sheriffs of the court to remove all persons, however, attempt to serve Ms Spikes with the writ of possession failed.
On October 30, 2020, the landlord’s lawyer wrote the Sheriff Department applying for the cancellation of the writ of possession on the grounds that “tenant vacated.”
Ms. Spikes is currently in a legal battle with Dangote following a breach in the monetary terms of a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) demanded by the business mogul.
Mr Dangote filed the libel suit on January 20, two weeks after Ms Spikes posted a video clip with part of his buttocks revealed to viewers.
While Dangote has filed a suit to issue a gag order against Ms. Spikes, the court has fixed February 9, 2021, for the hearing of the businessman’s preliminary petition.
Source: PremiunTimes
