Alleged N12.3bn Fraud: Otudeko, Onasanya’s Absence Stalls Trial As Court Orders Substituted Service

The Federal High Court in Lagos, on Monday, ordered substituted service of charges on the Chairman of the Honeywell Group, Oba Otudeko, and a former First Bank Managing Director, Bisi Onasanya, who are facing alleged 13 counts bordering on alleged N12.3bn fraud.

The defendants had been scheduled for arraignment on Monday before Justice C.J. Aneke of the Federal High Court in Lagos.

They were, however, absent, with their lawyers protesting that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had not served the charges on them.

Apart from Otudeko and Onasanya, others listed as defendants in the criminal case marked FHC/L/20C/2025, are a former board member of Honeywell, Soji Akintayo, and a firm, Anchorage Leisure Limited, allegedly connected to Otudeko.

The EFCC accused them of obtaining N12.3bn from First Bank under pretence.

When the case was called on Monday, the counsel who appeared for the defendants protested the charge, saying their clients had not been served.

Mr Bode Olanipekun (SAN), who announced his appearance for Otudeko, told the court that he appeared in protest in the case, as the charge had not been served on his client.

Also, Mr Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), who announced his appearance for Onasanya, said his client was not served but he got a printed copy of the charge sheet.

Similarly, Mr Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), who appeared for the third defendant, Akintayo; and Dr Charles Adeogun-Philips (SAN), who announced appearance for the fourth defendant, Anchorage Leisure Limited, protested non-service of the charges on their clients.

When Justice Aneke asked the defence counsel how they became aware of the case and appeared in court if their clients were not served, Olanipekun said they got wind of the matter in the newspapers.

He said national dailies were on Friday filled with screaming headlines, announcing the scheduled arraignment of the defendants.

He showed the judge the covers of different newspapers he brought to court as evidence.