Drama As Otudeko’s Counsel Protests Alleged ₦12.3 Billion Fraud Case In Court

There was a mild drama at the Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday after the legal counsel for the Chairman of the Honeywell Group, Oba Otudeko, who is facing allegations of ₦12.3 billion fraud, appeared before the court to contest the charges against his client.

Naija News understands that Bode Olanipekun (SAN) informed the court that his protest was based on the fact that the charges had not been formally served to Otudeko and the two co-defendants.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has brought a 13-count charge against Otudeko, the former Managing Director of First Bank Plc., Olabisi Onasanya, and former Honeywell board member, Soji Akintayo.

Olanipekun represents all three defendants in this case.

Additionally, a company, Anchorage Leisure Ltd., has also been implicated in the charges.

The EFCC claims that the defendants acquired the funds through deceptive means.

Meanwhile, the family of the former Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria, Oba Otudeko, has refuted claims that the businessman fled Nigeria amidst allegations of fraud.

They clarified that the octogenarian left the country for a routine medical trip.

Speaking to TheCable earlier, a family source stated, “As an elderly citizen, Dr. Oba Otudeko prioritises his health above all. He is routinely out of the country to access health care and attend to other personal matters. This is not a recent development as Oba Otudeko has divided his time between his abodes in Nigeria and the UK for the last four decades.”

Naija News reports that the clarification comes after earlier reports suggested that Otudeko left Nigeria through the Benin Republic border.

The family, however, dismissed these claims, noting that he did not leave via land borders but declined to specify the airport used for his departure.