The Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday fixed January 20, 2025, for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to arraign the Chairman of Honeywell Group, Chief Oba Otudeko, and a former First Bank Managing Director, Stephen Onasanya, for allegedly looting N12.3bn from First Bank.
Otudeko, a former Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria Holdings, and Onasanya are to be arraigned alongside a former board member of Honeywell, Soji Akintayo, and a firm, Anchorage Leisure Limited, allegedly connected to Otudeko.
According to EFCC, the four defendants allegedly committed fraud in tranches of N5.2bn, N6.2bn, N6.150bn, N1.5bn and N500m, between 2013 and 2014 in Lagos.
In the 13 counts, filed by EFCC counsel, Mrs Bilikisu Buhari, on January 16, 2025, EFCC further claimed that the defendants made and uttered and forged documents to deceive the bank.
Otudeko, Onasanya, Akintayo and Anchorage will be brought before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, to whom the case, registered as FHC/L/20C/2025, has been assigned.
In count one, the EFCC accused the defendants of conspiring to obtain the sum of N12.3bn from First Bank Limited on the pretence that the said sum represented credit facilities applied for by Tech Dynamic Links Limited and Stallion Nigeria Limited, a representation they knew was false.
The commission also alleged that on or about November 26, 2013, in Lagos, the defendants obtained the sum of N5.2 bn from First Bank on the pretence that the said sum represented credit facilities applied for by V Tech Dynamic Links Limited, a representation they knew was false.
The anti-graft agency claimed that
the defendants, between 2013 and 2014 in Lagos, obtained N6.2bn from First Bank Limited on the pretence that the said sum represented credit facilities applied for and disbursed to Stallion Nigeria Limited, a representation they knew was false.
In the fourth count, they were accused of conspiring to spend the N6.15bn out of the funds.
According to the commission, the offences contravened Section 8(a) of Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and are punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
In counts five and six, the EFCC said on or about December, 11, 2013, in Lagos, the four defendants procured Honeywell Flour Mills Plc to retain the sum of N1.5bn, which sum they reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of their unlawful activities to obtaining by false pretense, an offence
contrary to Section 18(c), 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
Chief Oba Otudeko, Stephen Olabisi Onasanya, Soji Akintayo, and Anchorage Leisure Limited were said to have on or about December, 17, 2013 in Lagos, converted to the use of Honeywell Flour Mills Plc the sum of N500m, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of your unlawful activities to obtaining by false pretence, an offence contrary to Section 15(2 (b)) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
In count eight, they were alleged to have on or about September 3, 2013, in Lagos conspired amongst themselves to commit an offence by uttering a forged document – titled “Letter of Application” with the intent that it may be used by the First Bank in the belief that the said document was genuine and emanated from V-Tech Links Dynamic Limited, an offence contrary to Section 3(6) of the miscellaneous offences Act, Cap M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under Section 1(2)(c) of same Act.
The EFCC said on September 3, 2013, the defendants conspired amongst themselves and made a false document titled “Authorisation to issue Investment Certificate to First Bank with the intent that it may be used by First Bank in the belief that the said document is genuine and emanated from V-Tech Links Dynamic Limited, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3(6) of the miscellaneous offences Act, Cap M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under Section 1(2)(c) of same Act.
The commission also alleged that on or about October 31, 2014, in Lagos, the first to third defendants procured Abiodun Olatunji and Raymond Eze to transfer the sum of N6,200,000,000 to Stallion Nigeria Limited’s account number “2015708429” domiciled with First Bank, which sum they “reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activities to wit: Fraudulent False Accounting and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 18 (c) and 15(2 (b) of the money laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”
In count 12, the EFCC said that on or about December 11, 2013, in Lagos, the first and second defendants procured Abiodun Olatunji and Raymond Eze to transfer the sum of N2, 090, 000,000 from Stallion Nigeria Limited’s account number “2015708429” domiciled with First Bank, to Emmerado Logistics Limited’s account number “0688985010” domiciled with First City Monument Bank, “which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activities to commit fraudulent false accounting an offence contrary to Sections 18 (c) and 15(2 (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
The EFCC said Oba Otudeko, on or about September 3, 2013, in Lagos, whilst being the Chairman of First Bank Plc, indirectly had personal interest in a loan facility sought for by V Tech Dynamics Links Limited in the sum of N6,150,000,000.00, “which interest was not declared to the bank, an offence contrary to Section 18(1) Banks and other financial institutions Act 2004 and punishable under Section 18(2) of same Act.”
