Due to the defendants’ absence, Monday’s arraignment of Oba Otudeko, the Chairman of the Honeywell Group, and others in connection with an alleged N12.3 billion fraud before the Federal High Court was postponed.
The defendants’ attorneys objected to the allegation when it was called, claiming that their clients had not been served.
Otudeko and Olabisi Onasanya, a former managing director of First Bank Plc, were charged with 13 counts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on January 16, 2025.
Alongside Otudeko, other defendants include Anchorage Leisure Ltd. and Soji Akintayo, a former Honeywell board member.
The EFCC accused the defendants of acquiring N12.3 billion from First Bank under false pretenses in the case designated FHC/L/20C/2025.
Otudeko’s attorney, Bode Olanipekun (SAN), informed the court that he was coming in protest because his client had not received the charge when the matter was called.
When the second defendant, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), appeared in court, he told the judge that he had a copy of the charge that he had printed on his own.
The third defendant was represented by Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), while the fourth defendant was represented by Dr. Charles Adeogun-Philips (SAN), who similarly protested that his client had not been served.
If the defense attorneys claimed the defendants had not been served, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke questioned why they were in court.
Olanipekun responded by explaining that on January 17, 2025, the defendants’ arraignment was highly publicized in the media, with large headlines announcing their court appearance. He gave the court copies of these reports.
Since his client had not been formally charged, Olanipekun characterized the situation as unjust.
EFCC prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) responded by telling the court that there had been multiple unsuccessful attempts to serve the defendants.
According to him, the defendants’ last known addresses were No. 6b Mekuwen Street Ikoyi and No. 21, Ribadu Road Ikoyi, respectively.
The prosecution had submitted a motion for alternative service at these addresses, Oyedepo continued. The motion was moved, and the court granted it.
Olumide-Fusika, who had previously acquired a copy on his own, offered to take the charge’s service on behalf of his client. As instructed by the court, the prosecution presented him with the charge in court.
After upon, the case was postponed until February 13, 2025, so that the defendants could be arraigned.
The EFCC claims that between 2013 and 2014, the defendants committed the crime in Lagos in the following tranches: N5.2 billion, N6.2 billion, N6.1 billion, N1.5 billion, and N500 million.
The defendants allegedly falsified documents in order to mislead the bank, according to the EFCC.
Sections 15(2), 15(3), and 18(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as well as Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related offenders Act, 2006 were allegedly violated by the offenders.
Additionally, they violated Miscellaneous Offenses Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation, 2004 Section 3(6).
ALSO READ:
Here Are Some Facts Regarding The Inauguration Of Donald Trump.
