Court declares Innoson wanted.

The chairman of the Innoson Motors Nigeria Ltd, Innocent Chukwuma has been declared wanted by a special offences court sitting in Lagos, and presided over by Justice Mojisola Dada

The decision was taken as a result of the failure of Mr Chukwuma to appear before the court for his arraignment for the Fifth time in the case between his company and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Chukwuma had previously failed to appear before the court on Jan. 17, Feb. 9, March 14 and April 25.

This prompted to the granting of the request of Anselem Ozioko, the lead prosecuting counsel of the EFCC, seeking the declaration of Innoson wanted.

According to Ozioko, this appears to be the fifth time Innoson is failing to appear before the court and the judge for arraignment.

Ozioko said that what his learned friends, the defence counsels were doing was contemptuous, as Innoson is not bigger than the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The counsel to Innoson, Mr George Uwechue (SAN), had requested that his application be heard despite Justice Dada’s decision that no application will be heard until Innoson is in court personally

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Prof J.N Mbadugha had told the court in his submission that he had filed a case at the Court of Appeal, challenging the jurisdiction of the court.

Reports have it that Chukwuma and his company, Innoson Motors Nigeria Ltd., are to be arraigned on a four-count charge of conspiracy to obtain property by false pretences, obtaining property by false pretences, stealing and forgery, which was allegedly committed between 2009 and July 2011 in Lagos.

The EFCC alleged that Innoson conspired to obtain by false pretences, containers of motorcycle, spare parts and raw materials, property of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) from Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd, Apapa, Lagos with the intent to defraud.

Innoson allegedly got a staff of Mitsui OSK and Maersk Line to deliver to them the goods which was imported from China in the name of GTB in pretence that they were authorised to clear it.

The EFCC alleged that Innoson had forged a bill of ladding numbered, 598286020 of Maersk Line Limited and 11007950841 of Mutsui O.S.K Lines by knowingly putting a false GTB stamp and signature of the bank staff.

The offences contravened Sections 1(1)(b), 1(3), and 8(a) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2016 and Sections 309(9), 388, 465 and 467(1)(j) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State 2003.

 

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