The Federal High Court in Lagos has scheduled February 27, 2025, for the arraignment of Gbolahan Obanikoro, son of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, alongside four others, over an alleged N1.35 billion fraud.
The defendants include Adejare Adegbenro, Balmoral International Limited, M.O.B. Integrated Limited, and DDSS International Company Limited.
The charges against the defendants, filed by the Inspector General of Police through the Special Fraud Unit in Ikoyi, Lagos, include conspiracy, obtaining by false pretenses, false representation, and fraud. The alleged crimes were said to have been committed between May and September 2013.
During Friday’s hearing, the prosecution counsel, Momoh Bello, informed the court that the arraignment could not proceed because the defendants failed to appear. Bello requested a bench warrant against them, stating that they had all been duly served court notices. However, counsel for M.O.B. Integrated Limited, Joshua Abel, opposed the application, arguing that service was only received late, leaving insufficient time to prepare or brief the directors, most of whom are outside the country.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, while reviewing the matter, noted discrepancies in the proof of service. He confirmed that only the third and fourth defendants had been served, and this was less than 48 hours prior. There was no evidence of personal service on the first and second defendants, as required by law. The judge directed the prosecution to regularize the service process and adjourned the case to February 27, 2025, for arraignment.
According to the police, the defendants conspired to fraudulently obtain N1.35 billion from Access Bank Plc (formerly Diamond Bank). They allegedly misrepresented themselves as being involved in importing cars from Dubai for sale in Nigeria and claimed the funds were required to finance the importation of new vehicles. The funds, however, were reportedly converted for personal use.
The police further alleged that the defendants knowingly retained, transferred, and took possession of the funds, despite being aware that the money was proceeds of unlawful activities.
These actions, according to the charges, violated the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offenses Act, 2006, and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.