The Chairman Of Honeywell Group, Oba Otudeko, has failed to appear in court today in his ongoing case with the Federal Government.
The case which came up on February 13, 2025, has the Federal Government against Oba Otudeko, Bisi Onasanya, Soji Akintayo and Anchorage.
The prosecution’s legal team was led by Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, while Mr. Babajide Koku SAN and Buchi Ofulue appeared, holding watching brief for FBN as the complainant.
The Defendants were represented by the following lawyers.
1. Otudeko’s lawyer: Wole Olanipekun SAN and Bode Olanipekun SAN
2. Olabisi Onasanya’s lawyer: Olumide Fusika SAN and Supo Shasore SAN
3. Soji Akintayo’s lawyer: Kehinde Ogunwumiju SAN
4. Anchorage’s lawyer: Dr. Charles Adebayo SAN
What transpired in court
The Otudeko’s lawyers urged the Court to hear their preliminary objection challenging the Court’s jurisdiction on grounds that the allegations made against Otudeko related to a loan facility, boardroom politics and schemes by other shareholders to wrestle control of the Bank. That the charge was deeply rooted in malice and the proof of evidence discloses no prima facie case against Otudeko and the other Defendants.
- Rotimi Oyedepo SAN on behalf of the prosecution opposed Olanipekun’s application and relying on the Court of Appeal decision in Yahaya Bello, urged the Court not to take any application by the Defendants challenging jurisdiction until they appeared in Court for arraignment and their plea taken.
- In debunking the claim of the Defendants on the subject matter, the EFCC Prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, referred the Court to the Charges against the Defendants.
From the Charge and supporting documentation, the Prosecution’s case is that the allegations against the Defendants neither arose from or is founded on civil/contractual relationship between First Bank and V- Tech Dynamic Links limited, but rather emanated from a detailed investigation that revealed the meeting of the minds of Otudeko and Onasanya to use their positions as principal officers of First Bank to defraud the Bank in conjunction with the other Defendants.
According to Oyedepo SAN, Otudeko, Onasanya, and their subordinates fraudulently transferred about Six Billion Naira (N6,000,000,000) on the 26th of November, 2013 to an account surreptitiously opened in the name of V-Tech Dynamic Links Limited.
Otudeko as Chairman and Onasanya as Managing Director of the First Bank, caused the said sum of about N6,000,000.00 to be transferred to Anchorage’s account (4thDefendant).
Otudeko’s lawyers refuse to undertake to produce him as court adjourns to March 17, 2025
At the close of oral submissions, the Court adjourned the matter to the 17th of March 2025 to decide whether or not Otudeko must appear in Court for arraignment before his application challenging jurisdiction can be heard.
Oyedepo then applied for an Order against Otudeko that he should make himself available in Court on the 17th of March 2025 and that Olanipekun should undertake to produce him on that day as the other Counsel in the case had done for the other Defendants.
Olanipekun tactfully declined to undertake to produce Otudeko citing his (Otudeko’s) ill health as the excuse for not being in a position to give such an undertaking. It was noted that the purported medical examination that Otudeko is currently undergoing had his last doctor visit on February 14, 2025.
The Court responded that March 17, 2025, is a long time for Otudeko to make himself available in Court, as an Elder Statesman, failing which the Court will consider the application for the Order.
