Loan controversy:  Onasanya’s lawyer condemns media trial, demands summons in court as Judge adjourns case to February 13

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

In line with his resolve to defend himself and clear his name, Dr. Bisi Onasanya through his lawyer, Olumide Fusika, SAN, at a session at the Federal High Court Lagos on Monday, January 20, 2025, demanded the service of proof of evidence and summons.

Onasanya, a chartered accountant and a former Group Managing Director of First Bank is defending himself against a controversial loan that allegedly occurred at First Bank 12 years ago. The retired banker is refuting the allegations alongside three others namely former Chairman of the bank, Chief Oba Otudeko, a former board member of Honeywell, Soji Akintayo, and a firm, Anchorage Leisure Ltd.

At a hearing at the Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday, Fusika condemned the media trial his client had been subjected to, saying he was not formally invited by the EFCC or served a notice of the charge.

He expressed surprise at seeing news stories in major newspapers linking Dr Onasanya to a trial on loan controversy during his time as First Bank Group Managing Director without prior notification. 

“My Lord, it is concerning that my client has been unduly exposed to media trial without being formally served. This is a procedural anomaly that undermines his right to a fair hearing and personal dignity,” Fusika said. 

The prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, denied any involvement by the EFCC in the media coverage of the case.

 He stated that the commission had not issued a press statement and suggested that journalists may have obtained information through other means. 

“My Lord, we disassociate ourselves from any media reports,” Oyedepo said. 

The EFCC also applied for an ex parte motion to issue a bench warrant for the defenders’ arrest and sought permission to serve them through substituted means, alleging they had evaded service.

Fusika opposed the motion, arguing that his client had always been available and had not evaded service. Demonstrating his determination to clear his name, the senior lawyer prayed to the court to have the EFCC serve the charge and the proof of evidence in the open court.

“This application is unwarranted and speculative. My client has neither avoided service nor absented himself from this matter. The claims of the prosecution are baseless. Since I am here and my client is ready to go ahead with this case, I ask to be served the charge and the proof of evidence here in the court,” Fusika argued. 

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, who presided over the case, dismissed the EFCC’s motion for substituted service on Onasanya since he has accepted to be served in the open court. 

The judge consequently ordered that the EFCC serve Fusika the charge and proof of evidence in open court.

The EFCC complied with the directive, and Fusika who confirmed the receipt of the document extracted a confirmation from the prosecution counsel that the proof of evidence submitted is exhaustive and there wouldn’t be an addendum. The defence counsel said EFCC’s confirmation should be on record, insisting that his client was ready to defend himself and clear his name. 

Justice Aneke adjourned the case to February 13, 2025.

It will be recalled that Onasanya, through his Communication Advisor, Mr Michael Osunuyi, had earlier dismissed allegations, describing the claims as baseless and an attempt to tarnish Onasanya’s stellar reputation for professionalism, integrity and humaneness.

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

The Nigerian government, through the efforts of the National Information Technology Development Agency, (NITDA) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, (NFIU) have kick-started an initiative that would ensure the exclusion of the country from the Action Task Force (FATF) Grey List by May 2025.

 This initiative was a directive of the President to the request of the NFIU to develop and implement an Anti-Money Laundering/Counter Financial Terrorism/Counter Proliferation of Firearms Data Management Framework and Platform in collaboration with NITDA.  At the inaugural technical session to kick start the process at the NITDA Headquarters in Abuja yesterday, the NITDA Director General, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE disclosed that the technical session meeting would mark a “remarkable mile in the country’s journey to exit from the From the Financial Action Task Force Grey List the nation has been enlisted into since February 2013.  

He said the enlistment of the country into the Grey List was occasioned by seven issues among which are the rising capital inflows into the country, the shortcomings in combating money laundering, the shortcomings in combating arms financing and the shortcomings in combating terrorism financing. 

According to him other factors include “the nation’s deficiencies in anti-money laundering regime, counter-terrorism financing regime and counter arms proliferation financing regime.”

 He noted that the desire of the President to combat corruption and financial crime through innovation and technology necessitated his directive to NITDA to work with NIFU to build a system that would help NFIU to better manage financial data and compliance in the country.  He said, “Today we are kick starting a meeting to start that project that will take us out of the Grey List and build that robust system. The main objective of the system is to help us with global compliance; to help Nigeria position itself as a key player in the global effort to combat financial terrorism and other crimes.

This will help us to create visibility in Nigeria as well as improve our global reputation and relationship in the financial market.” While maintaining that the initiative will help in improving national security because of its capability to see any financial transaction inflow into the country, NITDA boss maintained that it will also help to “track any illicit flow as well as empower us to highlight or identify criminal network in our financial sector.”

Inuwa averred that the system will strengthen the nation’s law enforcement and the economy because it will tame crime in the economy which will encourage investment into the country.  

In her remarks, the NFIU Chief Executive Officer, Barrister Hafsat Abubakar Bakari described the project as a “game changer” because it will not only help the country to exit the grey list as directed by the president but improve the Data Integration Management System for Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism, (AMLCFT.) While acknowledging the introduction of technology in the way things are now being done at the NFIU, she called on Nigerians to support the initiative of not only the exiting of the grey list but to sustain the gains that the country has made from it.  She said, “The Grey List is not just a one-off project, it is a continuous project. The next cycle of evaluation will be done in the year 2027 and we do not want a situation where we exit from the Grey List and another evaluation is conducted by the FITF, and we find ourselves back on the grey list again.” 

Barrister Bakari added that “this is why we have decided that the use of technology will give credibility to every statistic that we have, not just to our domestic stakeholders, but also to our international partners. Everything should be done in real time and accessible, credible, and factual, and that is the project that we are doing today.” While expressing her gratitude to NITDA and the Director General for their contributions to the project and other national service, she noted that she believes in local content initiative and that was why the NFIU made submission to Mr. President that NITDA should drive the process which he “graciously approved.”  “So, congratulations, NITDA, for the confidence that the NFIU has in you, and for the confidence that Mr. President has in you to drive this project,” she noted.

 The Chairman, House Committee on Information and Communication technology and Cyber Security, Honourable Adedeji Olajide who also graced the event assured both NITDA and NFIU of legislative support in their quest to secure the country against illicit financial flow and other vices.

 While acknowledging that it was a welcome development to see the executive and the legislator working together to achieve common goals in our country Honourable Olajide said “You can be sure of it that you have all of the legislative support to get whatever you need done, and we will make sure there are no stumbling blocks in your way.” He said it has become imperative to “change the narrative” and position Nigeria to its rightful place among the comity of nation, adding that he understood all the benefits and values the introduction of technology will bring to NFIU operations.  

He said, “Nigeria is going to take its rightful place as the giant of Africa. We are going to lead the way in cutting-edge technologies to make sure that Nigeria has all of the right people, the right processes, and the right technology to move the country to the next level which is also in line with the agenda of Mr. President Ahmed Bola, who is also a technology person.”  

The objective of the AML/CFT/CPF Data Management Framework/Platform are; to achieve FATF compliance, to enable Nigeria’s removal from the Grey List and restore international confidence, to enhance NFIU’s operational capacity through automation, intelligence integration, and scalability, establish a robust and sustainable framework to ensure long-term operational and financial independence and to position Nigeria as a global leader in financial intelligence and AML/CFT practices, setting benchmarks for other nations The development and implementation of this platform are imperative to addressing the identified gaps, strengthening Nigeria’s financial integrity, and securing its place as a trusted partner in the global financial ecosystem.   

HABEEN OWOLEWA (ILORIN)

Justices Haleema Saleeman and Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court, sitting in Ilorin have convicted and sentenced six persons to jail for fraud August24news.com has learnt.

The convicts are: Akingbehin Temitope Oluwaseyi, Ajayi Elijah Olaoluwa, Samsom Babatunde Ilesanmi, Quadri Olamilekan Lamidi, Kolawole Kehinde Moses and Olatunji Elija Olabisi.

They were prosecuted by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on multiple charges that bordered on retention of proceeds of criminal activities, cheating, impersonation and internet fraud.

Oluwaseyi, (a 25-year-old car dealer), Olaoluwa, Ilesanmi and Lamidi were dragged before Justice Saleeman while the duo of Moses and Olabisi were prosecuted before Justice Abdulgafar.

The charge against Oluwaseyi reads: “That you, Akingbehin Temitope Oluwaseyi,
sometime between 2021 and 2024 at Offa, within the judicial division of the Kwara State High Court, did retain the control of the gross sum of N2,707,562 (Two Million, Seven Hundred and Seven Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty-Two Naira) in your Opay account number 09064776590 being the sum paid to you which you knew to be proceed of criminal conduct, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17(a) and (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004”.

That of Ilesanmi reads:
“That you, Samson Babatunde Ilesanmi (a.k.a Angela Sara Maya) sometimes in 2023 within the judicial division of the Kwara State High Court did cheat by personation when you pretended to be one Angela Sara Maya vide Facebook messenger account and induced one Larry Guerrero to part with the sum of $250 (Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars) thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 321 and punishable under Section 324 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria.”

They all pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to them, following which prosecution counsel, Sesan Ola and Andrew Akoja reviewed the facts of the cases, presented witnesses and tendered the extra-judicial statements of the defendants. They also tendered in evidence items recovered from them at the point of arrest and the monetary proceeds of their unlawful activities.

Satisfied that the cases against them have been proven beyond every reasonable doubt, Justice Saleeman sentenced Oluwaseyi to one year imprisonment on Count One or to pay a fine of million naira and also a one year imprisonment on Count Two or to pay a fine of N707,562
(Seven Hundred and Seven Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty-two Naira). In addition, he forfeited his two phones, being the tools of his crime and a Toyota Camry car, 2009 Model to the federal government.

He committed Olaoluwa to one year imprisonment or to pay a fine of N500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira). In addition he forfeited his iPhone 13 Promax, being the tool of his unlawful activities and the sum of $410 (Four Hundred and Ten United States Dollars) to the federal government.

The judge handed four months prison term to Ilesanmi or to pay a fine of N250,00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira). In addition, he forfeited the sum of $150 (One Hundred and Fifty Dollars) and his two phones, being the tool of his crime to the federal government.

Lamidi got four months imprisonment or to pay a fine of N150,000 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) on Count One; three months imprisonment or to pay a fine of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) on Count Two and two months prison term or to pay a fine of N50,000
(Fifty Thousand Naira) on Count
Three. The sentences run concurrently. In addition, he forfeited the sum of €325 (Three Hundred and Twenty-five Euros), $150 Canadian dollars and the two phones being instruments of his crime to the federal government.

Similarly, Justice Abdulgafar sentenced Moses to three months suspended sentence on Counts One and Two. In addition, he forfeited the sum of N330,000 (Three Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira), $80 (Eighty Dollars) and iPhone 12 Promax, being the tool of his crime to the federal government.

The judge ordered Olabisi to pay up $25 (Twenty-five Dollars), being the balance of the restitution to be paid from the proceeds of his criminal activity. In addition, he forfeited the sum of $70 (Seventy Dollars) and his iPhone XR, being the instrument of his criminal activities to the federal government.

All the convicts were arrested for internet fraud. They were charged to court and