CRIMINAL CHARGES: COURT FOILS INNOSON CEO’S ATTEMPT TO FRUSTRATE PROCEEDINGS; FIXES DEC 7 FOR HEARING OF ARREST WARRANT MOTION
CRIMINAL CHARGES: COURT FOILS INNOSON CEO’S ATTEMPT TO FRUSTRATE PROCEEDINGS; FIXES DEC 7 FOR HEARING OF ARREST WARRANT MOTION
A Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed December 7, for hearing of a motion seeking the issuance of bench warrant against founder of Innoson Motors Nigeria Limited, Mr. Innocent Chukwuma and four others for their persistence refusal to appear in court for their arraignment an alleged forgery case.
The court presided over by Justice Ayotunde Faji, fixed the date, after dismissing series of applications filed by Chukwuma, which have been stalling the hearing of the motion for his arrest which was filed since October 16, 2017.
Others affected in the motion are: Charles Chukwu Mitsui Osk Lines and Annajekwu Sunny, who have also refused to appear before the court to face the forgery allegations
Justice Faji today dismissed Innoson boss applications to stay proceedings in a criminal charge filed against all the Defendants, following a decision of the Court of Appeal, Lagos, which had refused grant an appeal seeking to stay further proceedings in criminal charge pending at the Federal High court against the defendants, in suit number CA/L/249c/18, filed by the defendants’ lawyers, Chief G. N. Uwechue (SAN) and Mr. McCarthy Mbadugha against the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and two others.
The trial judge, Justice Faji, had also on January 11, 2018, ordered a stay of proceedings, in the criminal charge filed by the IGP against the defendants pending the outcome of the appeal filed by Innoson Boss and others.
Following the refusal of the Court of Appeal to concede to the defendants’ request, and decision of Justice Faji, to hear the pending motion on notice of bench warrant against all defendants, the prosecutor, Mr. Julius Ajakaiye, a director in the Federal Ministry of Justice, asked the court for a date for hearing of the motion.
However, following the agreement of the parties, the matter was adjourned till December 7, for hearing of the motion seeking the defendants’ arrest.
AGF had filed a criminal charge against Mr. Chukwuma and four other persons over alleged forgery.
The accused persons are to face a four count-charge bordering on forgery, documents falsification, documents alteration, which was alleged to have been used in obtaining a loan of N2.4 billion from Guaranty Trust bank.
In a four-count amended criminal charge marked FHC/L/565/C/2015, AGF alleged that against the accused persons alleged to had between January, 2010 and April, 2011, at Apapa Wharf criminally conspired amongst themselves to wit, falsification of Shipping Documents which they deposited with Mitsui Osk Lines Lagos which was used as collateral for the purpose of clearance of raw materials polyvinylchloride (PVC ) for the production of roof ceiling and other imported items.
The defendants have been in discontinuance and disrespect this court. Instead of answering the charge against them, they have been filing several frivolous applications before the Court.
It was alleged that the accused persons same time and place did without lawful authority and with intent to defraud, utter the shipping clearance documents to the shipping Line Mitsui Osk Lines which was used as collateral for the purpose of obtaining a loan of N2.4 billion from Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), for the purpose of clearing raw material Polyvinylchloride for the production of roof ceiling and other imported items
The accused persons were also alleged to have falsely and fraudulently represented as genuine, the uttered shipping documents and presented same bank to obtain a loan of N2.4 billion. Alleged Forgery: AGF Urges Court to Issue Bench Warrant Against Innoson Motors Boss, Mr. Innocent Chukwuma