‘Trace the money’ Court instructs banks to publicise investments in Bamise, Elizabeth Ajetunmobi’s case

Lagos High Court Sitting in Osborne, Ikoyi has ordered all banks to disclose all investments – fixed deposits, treasury bills, and all sums of money, including cryptocurrency – traceable to Imagine Global Holding Company Limited, Imagine Global Solutions Limited, and fleeing couple, Bamise and Elizabeth Ajetunmobi.

The two firms and the Ajetunmobi couple have been associated with an alleged N18.8 billion investment fraud by a total of 27 aggrieved Nigerian investors/claimants who are before the court.

Justice Toyin Oyekan-Abdullahi ordered the banks to produce all statements of account of all four defendants so all parties can trace the money’s movement.

Some of the applicants are Mr Olabode Olanipekun, Mr Segun Animashaun, Mrs Abioye Idris, Mrs Erhi Ojoboh, Mrs Laurel Onumonu and Mr Olanrewaju Aderounmu.

Others are; Mr Edet Udo, Mr Chikezie Nwokocha, Dr Onyekachi Onubogu, Mrs Aderonke Salami andGrantiff Investment Ltd.

Shalom Microfinance Bank Ltd, Afrinvest Asset Management Ltd, Global Stonecrest Bureau De Change, Headway Microfinance Bank Ltd, Hollandpark Bureau De Change and Alstom Matrix Ltd also made the list of applicants.

The documents are to be produced on or before the next court sitting which has been fixed for February 27.

The court granted the orders after counsel to the first to 17th claimants, Adetunji Adedoyin-Adeniyi, told Justice Oyekanmi-Abdullahi that his clients had stumbled on other parties who were filing similar suits before the Federal High Court.

He expressed the fear that whoever gets judgment first may take the money, a situation which may leave his clients who filed their suit first, stranded.

Justice Oyekan-Abdullahi assured all parties that this would not happen.

At the last sitting of the court, the matter was initially adjourned for ruling on a preliminary objection by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the defendants who claimed that the matter ought to be heard by the Federal High Court since it involved a financial institution.

The court then asked the defendants to produce a licence from the CBN showing that they were a financial institution.

The claimants have, however, submitted that all the defendants came up with was some lenders licence from some states.

They asked the court to discountenance the licences, insisting that they showed the defendants were not regulated by the apex bank.

During the proceedings, the court also asked Wema Bank to disclose all the balance sums in all accounts linked to the defendants.

However, the bank told the court it was also a victim having borrowed the defendant’s company N200 million.

Counsel to the defendants, Oriyemi Ariyo, declined to speak on the proceedings and the ruling but counsel to the claimants applauded the ruling.

Meanwhile, the couple have alleged fled to Antigua and Barbuda. Although, authorities of that country are yet to confirm the allegation, Prime Minister of the nation, Gaston Browne, said the authorities would arrest the couple.

Browne said while he was yet to verify the report, the alleged fraudsters would be captured if they entered the country.

He said he heard the couple obtained Antiguan and Barbudan passports, citizenship under the Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) programme after defrauding people.

Browne added;

I have already put systems in place to ensure that if he is not here as yet that they could capture him on his way here because Antigua and Barbuda is not gonna be a refuge for scamps.

He reiterated that the CIP is not meant to attract criminals, saying “our CIP programme is designed to attract and to incentivise investments, not to be a safe haven for crooks.”

Rtn. Victor Ojelabi

Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.