One Federal High Court wey siddon for Lagos on Monday don order say make dem arraign former chairman of First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Oba Otudeko, and former managing director of di bank, Bisi Onasanya, for alleged ₦12.3 billion fraud.
For im ruling, Justice Aneke talk say e don become law say “di defendant must first take plea before any other application go follow.”
Di court base im decision on di authority of Onnoghen v FRN, Bello v FRN, and others, talk say arraignment must happen before any preliminary objection go dey considered.
“Di matter wey dey before di court na whether di process wey dey ground fit go on before dem arraign di defendants.
“Any preliminary objection wey dey challenge di validity of di charge, dem fit only hear am after di plea don dey taken. Dis one don become condition wey court must follow.
“I agree with di prosecutor say no preliminary objection fit happen without arraignment of di defendants. Na so I see am,” di court rule.
After di ruling, Oba Otudeko lawyer, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), tell di court say all di parties dey try resolve di matter peacefully.
E talk say on March 12, di lawyers to all di parties, including di prosecution, meet with di Attorney General of di Federation and dem still dey discuss how dem go settle di case. E beg di court make dem give dem time so dem go report back di settlement matter.
Other defence lawyers – Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), Yinka Fusika (SAN), and Charles Adeogun-Phillips (SAN) – also confirm di settlement process.
But prosecution lawyer, Bilkisu Buhari-Bala, tell di court say make dem adjourn di matter either for arraignment or to hear di report of di settlement.
After Justice Aneke hear everybody, e adjourn di case go May 8 for report of settlement.
Di Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) don file 13-count criminal charge against Otudeko and Onasanya, accuse dem say dem collect ₦12.3 billion from First Bank illegally.
Dem charge di two alongside one former board member of Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Soji Akintayo, and one company wey dem link to Otudeko, Anchorage Leisure Ltd.
Di EFCC prosecutor, Buhari-Bala, file di case on January 16, 2025, and talk say di fraud happen in different payments of ₦5.2 billion, ₦6.2 billion, ₦6.150 billion, ₦1.5 billion, and ₦500 million between 2013 and 2014 for Lagos.
