A Federal High Court in Lagos has scheduled February 27 for the arraignment of Gbolahan Obanikoro, son of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, alongside sociali
A Federal High Court in Lagos has scheduled February 27 for the arraignment of Gbolahan Obanikoro, son of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, alongside socialite, Adejare Adegbenro and four others, over charges of conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretenses, and a N1.356 billion fraud.
The defendants, including Balmoral International Limited, M.O.B. Integrated Limited, and DDSS International Company Limited, are to appear before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa.
The court fixed the date following their failure to attend the arraignment on Friday, January 24.
The Inspector General of Police, acting through the Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) in Ikoyi, Lagos, stated that the defendants defrauded Access Bank Plc (formerly Diamond Bank) between May and September 2013.
They were accused of falsely claiming, through bank staff and officers, to be involved in importing cars from Dubai for sale in Nigeria.
The funds obtained were purportedly for financing the importation of brand-new cars for restocking their business.
The defendants are also accused of converting, transferring, retaining, or taking possession of the N1.356 billion, knowing or having reason to know that the money constituted proceeds of fraudulent activities..
The defendants have been accused of unlawfully converting N1 billion belonging to Access Bank, formerly Diamond Bank Plc, for personal use.
At the hearing on Friday, January 24, the prosecutor, M.Y. Bello, informed the court that the session was scheduled for the arraignment of all defendants.
However, he requested a new date to ensure their presence in court to respond to the charges.
Counsel for the defendants, Joshua A., explained that his clients were currently outside the country and that only the companies named in the case had been served with the charge sheet.
He assured the court that all defendants would appear at the next adjourned date to address the allegations.
The charges fall under the Fraud and Other Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006 and are punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
“That you Adejare Adegbenro ‘m’, Gbolahan Obanikoro ‘m’, Balmoral International Limited, M.O.B Integrated Limited, DDSS international Company Ltd and other Directors of the Companies (now at large) between May and September 2013, in Lagos State, in the aforementioned Judicial Division of Federal High Court, Lagos, did directly or indirectly converts, transfers, retains, takes possession or control of N1, 356, 057, 330.43 (One Billion, Three and Fifty Six Million, Fifty Seven Thousand, Three Hundred Thirty Naira, Forty Three Kobo) belonging to Diamond Bank now Access Bank Plc, which you intentionally, knowingly or reasonably ought to have known that such funds is, or forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful Act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(b) & (d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022,” the statement read.
“That you Adejare Adegbenro ‘m’, Gbolahan Obanikoro ‘m’, Balmoral International Limited, M.0.B Integrated Limited, DDSS International Company Ltd and other Directors of the Companies (now at large) sometime in May 2019 in Lagos within the aforementioned judicial Division of the Federal High Court, with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of N1, 000,000.00 (One Billion Naira) from Diamond Bank now Access Bank Pic by falsely presenting through its staff and officers of the bank that you and your company, DDSS International Company were into the business of cars importation from Dubai for sale in Nigeria and that the money was for the cost of financing the importation of a set of brand new cars from Dubai to restock your business and for sale to your various customers and based on this representation, the Bank released the said money to you through the account of your company known as DDSS International Company as a loan facility which you subsequently diverted from the said account of DOSS International Company to account of another of your company now as Balmoral international Limited for the purpose of disguising the true origin or source of the money and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other fraud related offences Act No. 14 of 2006 and Punishable Under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
“That you Adejare Adegbenro ‘m’, Gbolahan Obanikoro ‘m’, Balmoral international Limited, M.O.B Integrated Limited, DOSS International Company Ltd and other Directors of the Companies (now at large) sometime in May 2019, in Lagos State, in the aforementioned Judicial Division of Federal High Court, Lagos, did directly or indirectly converts, transfers, takes possession or control of N1,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira) belonging to Diamond Bank now Access Bank Plc, which you intentionally, knowingly or reasonably ought to have known that such funds is, or forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful Act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(b) & (d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
