Court orders arrest of Access Bank’s MD, others

High Court of Lagos State has ordered the arrest of the acting Managing Director of Access Bank, Mrs Bolaji Agbede and three others for allegedly failing to appear for arraignment.

The order by the court presided over by Justice Ibironke Harrison also affected Balmoral International Limited, DDSS International Company Limited, and Adejare Adegbenro.

The Court warrant of arrest issued by Justice Harrison was consequent upon a four-count charge of conspiracy, stealing, and attempted theft filed against the defendants by Lagos State.

This was as the prosecution counsel for Lagos State, Mr Uthman̈ Rilwan told the Court that he duly served the defendants with the notice yet, they failed to attend the arraignment.

When the case was called, Rilwan told the court that the day’s purpose was to arraign the defendants, adding however that they failed to appear in court in spite of their receiving the notice of the court date.

Rilwan further said that on or about September 2, 2013, at Plot 1261, Adeola Hopewell Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, the defendants conspired to commit theft, stressing that Adejare, Balmoral, Access Bank, and Agbede stole the property of MOB Integrated Services at Plot 40b, Burdillion Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, by using it as security for a loan without the complainant’s consent and subsequently entered into a consent judgment.

The prosecutor also accused them of attempting to steal the property of MOB Integrated Services on May 26, 2019, by offering and granting DDSS International Company Limited a credit facility of N1 billion.

Rilwan said the offences contravened Sections 411, 280, and 21 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.

He also told the court; “My Lord, this matter is for arraignment today, and the defendants have been duly served with a copy of the charge.

“We request the court to issue a bench warrant for the defendant’s arrest to ensure they attend proceedings on the next court date”.

Accordingly, Justice Harrison issued a bench warrant against the second to fifth defendants, Balmoral International Limited, Access Bank, Bolaji Agbede, and DDSS International Company Limited.

The court also directed that the bench warrant should be executed against the principal officers and adjourned the case until February 24, 2025, for the arraignment of the defendants.