A Lagos State High Court has issued arrest warrants for several top Access Bank executives, including Group Chief Executive Bolaji Agbede, Managing Director Roosevelt Ogbonna, and Company Secretary Robert Imowo, in connection with an alleged property theft case involving assets belonging to MOB Integrated Services.
Justice Ibironke Harrison of Court No. 18 issued the bench warrant (Suit No. LD/24884c/24) after the defendants failed to appear in court. The case, which involves allegations of conspiracy, fraud, and obtaining property by false pretense totaling N1.356 billion, also names Balmoral International Limited, DDSS International Company Limited, and Adejare Adegbenro as defendants.
The case centers on a 2013 incident where the defendants allegedly used a property located at Plot 40b, Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, as collateral for a loan without proper authorization. The property belongs to MOB Integrated Services, a company owned by Gbolahan Obanikoro, son of former Minister of State for Defence Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.
According to the charge sheet filed by the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions, the defendants face multiple counts, including conspiracy to commit felony and stealing under various sections of the Criminal Law of Lagos State. The charges also detail a 2019 incident where Access Bank allegedly attempted to steal the same property by extending a N1 billion credit facility to DDSS International Company Limited.
The defendants are specifically charged with using the property as loan security without consent in 2013 and subsequently entering into a consent judgment. The court has scheduled the next hearing for February 24, 2025.
The case represents a significant legal challenge for Access Bank and its executives, with charges filed under multiple sections of the Lagos State Criminal Law, including Sections 411, 280, and 21, covering conspiracy, stealing, and attempted stealing respectively.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
