- Oba Otudeko and Olabisi Onasanya’s arraignment was delayed due to their absence in court.
- Their lawyer, Bode Olanipekun, protested that they hadn’t been formally served the charges.
- The defendants learned of the arraignment through media reports, causing further concern.
The planned arraignment of Oba Otudeko, the chairman of Honeywell Group, and Olabisi Onasanya, the former Managing Director of First Bank, was postponed on Monday due to their absence at the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The two, along with other defendants, were scheduled to face a 13-count charge for allegedly obtaining a total of N12.3 billion from First Bank.
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Despite the absence of Otudeko and Onasanya, the court proceedings continued with their legal representatives present.
Bode Olanipekun (SAN), the counsel for Oba Otudeko, informed Justice Chukwuejekwu Aneke that he was appearing in protest because the charge had not been formally served on his client or the other defendants involved in the case.
Olanipekun raised concerns that the arraignment was scheduled without proper legal procedure, particularly the delivery of the charge sheets.
In addition to Otudeko and Onasanya, other individuals implicated in the case include Soji Akintayo, a former member of the board of directors at Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, and a company linked to Otudeko, Anchorage Leisure Ltd.
Olanipekun further revealed that the defendants were shocked to learn of the arraignment through media reports, which broke the news of the legal proceedings last Thursday.
The charge relates to allegations that the defendants fraudulently obtained the sum of N12.3 billion from First Bank under questionable circumstances.
The failure to formally serve the defendants with the charges before the scheduled arraignment has raised concerns about the legal processes surrounding the case.
Justice Aneke adjourned the case to a later date, pending the proper service of the charge sheets to all the defendants.
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As the case moves forward, questions surrounding the fairness of the legal process and the potential outcomes for the accused individuals continue to capture attention.
The court will reconvene once all procedural requirements have been met.
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