Lagos Court Fixes Feb. 12 To Resume Hearing On Bamise, Lizzy Ajetunmobi’s N11.79bn Saga

A Lagos High Court in Ikoyi will on February 12 resume hearing of a suit by aggrieved investors seeking to recover about N11,795,090,000 from bank accounts linked to a couple, Bamise and Elizabeth Ajetunmobi and their two alleged firms.

The firms are Imagine Global Holding Company Limited and Imagine Global Solutions Limited.

According to the plaintiffs’ motion, the N11.795b is the outstanding investments and return on investments accruing to them from the defendants.

Justice Toyin Oyekan-Abdullahi fixed the date when the matter came up last Thursday, sequel to a motion filed and argued by the investors’ counsel Adetunji Adedoyin-Adeniyi of AAA Chambers.

The judge will, on that date, rule on a preliminary objection filed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) challenging an order made against it and commercial banks in the country.

The court, on November 3, 2021 noted that some banks were yet to comply with its October 24, 2021 order which restrained all commercial banks in Nigeria from releasing funds up to N11,795,090,000 to the two firms and the Ajetunmobis.

The order also commanded the banks to, among others, file and serve on Adedoyin-Adeniyi, within seven days, an affidavit disclosing the balance on the defendants’ accounts.

On November 11, 2021, the court further ordered all commercial banks to furnish it with comprehensive statements of account of both companies and the Ajetunmobi couple.

But at the hearing last Thursday, the CBN filed a preliminary objection, arguing that it could not comply with the order because the court did not have jurisdiction, following which the court adjourned till February 12, 2022 for further hearing.

According to the November 3 order, the items the banks are to provide include comprehensive statements of account of the 1st – 4th defendants from January 1, 2020 till date and all the statements of account linked with BVN: 22168443525 {3rd Defendant} and BVN:22141952749 {4th Defendant}. The ‘Know Your Customer’ {KYC} duly completed forms of all the accounts in the name of the 1st – 4th defendants from the 1st of January, 2020 and all the approval and detailed information of all the foreign transactions coupled with the Telex/swift copies of all FX related transfer made by the 1st – 4th Defendants.

Others include the names, phone numbers and all the referees provided by the 1st – 4th defendants at the point of opening the accounts and all the accounts linked with BVN: 22168443525 {3rd Defendant} and BVN:22141952749 {4th Defendant}.

An order compelling the CBN to place before the court a verifying affidavit to ascertain the correctness or otherwise of all the entries in the statement of accounts, documentation and details of all transfer of funds and ‘Know Your Customer’ {KYC} forms served on it by the following commercial banks, among others.

It also includes an order directing seven United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom firms to furnish before the court and serve on the claimants’ counsel.

The firms are EMAAR Development P.J.S.C, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Quastel LLP- 54 Bakers Street, London {Jonathan Neilan}, H & S Real Estate, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, The Lagoons Phase 1, LLC, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, The ARC {EC ONE}, 225 City Road, London EC1V 1JT, Lewis Assim, London, United Kingdom and Augustine Clement Solicitors – 1, 83 Lewisham High Street, London SE13 5JX.