Counsel to Oba Otudeko, Chairman of the Honeywell Group, Mr. Bode Olanipekun (SAN), appeared at the Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday to protest the N12.3 billion fraud charges brought against his client.
Olanipekun informed the court that the charges, filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had not been served on Otudeko or the two other defendants named in the case.
“I am here in protest because the charge has not been properly served on my clients,” Olanipekun stated during the proceedings.
The EFCC has filed a 13-count charge against Otudeko, former FirstBank Managing Director Olabisi Onasanya, former Honeywell board member Soji Akintayo, and Anchorage Leisure Ltd.
The anti-graft agency accuses the defendants of obtaining N12.3 billion under false pretenses.
The case, which involves allegations of fraudulent practices, also names Anchorage Leisure Ltd., a company reportedly linked to the defendants, as part of the accused parties.
The court has yet to address the objections raised by Olanipekun.
Further Developments Awaited
As the matter progresses, it is expected that the EFCC will respond to the concerns raised by Otudeko’s legal team regarding the service of the charges.
Details on the alleged offenses and the next steps in the case are expected to emerge in subsequent court sittings.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)