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Gbolahan Obanikoro, the son of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, and four other individuals are to be arraigned before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged conspiracy, obtaining by false pretenses, and involvement in a N1,356,057,330.43 billion fraud.
To be arraigned alongside Obanikoro are: Adejare Adegbenro, 51; Balmoral International Limited; M.O.B. Integrated Limited; and DDSS International Company Limited.
The defendants will be arraigned on a-five-count charge
Justice Lewis-Allagoa fixed the date on Friday after the defendants failed to appear for their scheduled arraignment.
The Inspector General of Police, through the Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) in Ikoyi, Lagos, has accused all the defendants of conspiring between May and September 2013 to fraudulently obtain the sum of N1,356,057,330.43 from Access Bank Plc (formerly Diamond Bank).
They allegedly misrepresented themselves to the bank’s staff and officers, claiming they were involved in the business of importing cars from Dubai for sale in Nigeria, and that the money was needed to finance the importation of a set of brand-new cars for resale.
The defendants are also accused of converting, transferring, retaining, or taking possession of the funds, knowing or having reason to know that such funds were proceeds of unlawful activity.
Additionally, they are alleged to have unlawfully converted the sum of N1 billion belonging to the bank for personal use.
At the hearing on Friday, thev Prosecutor, M.Y. Bello informed the court that the matter was scheduled for arraignment of all defendants.
He, however requested for a new date to allow all the defendants to appear in court and take their pleas.
Counsel to the defendants, Joshua A., explained that his clients were not in the country.
He added that only the companies named in the charge had been served with the charge sheet, assuring the court that all defendants would be present at the next adjourned date to take their pleas.
After listening to his submissions, Justice Lewis-Allagoa adjourned the case to February 27 for the arraignment of all the defendants.
Tone of the five-count charges against the defendants reads, reads:
“That you, Adejare Adegbenro, Gbolahan Obanikoro, Balmoral International Limited, M.O.B. Integrated Limited, DDSS International Company Ltd, and other directors of the companies (now at large), between May and September 2013 in Lagos, with intent to defraud, conspired to commit felony, specifically obtaining money by false pretenses, and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 8(i)(a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offenses Act, No. 14 of 2006.
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