Justice Ibironke Harrison, presiding at the Lagos State High Court in Tafa Balewa Square, has issued a warrant for the arrest of Bolaji Agbede, the acting Managing Director of Access Bank, alongside three others. The individuals are accused of failing to appear in court for their scheduled arraignment.
The arrest warrant extends to Balmoral International Limited, DDSS International Company Limited, and Adejare Adegbenro. According to the Lagos State prosecution counsel, Uthman Rilwan, notices were served to the defendants, but they did not attend the hearing.
The Lagos State government has filed a four-count charge, including conspiracy, theft, and attempted theft, against the defendants. The charges allege that, on September 2, 2013, at a property located on Adeola Hopewell Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, the defendants conspired to unlawfully use the property of MOB Integrated Services as collateral for a loan without authorization. A subsequent consent judgment was allegedly entered into without the complainant’s approval.
Additionally, the defendants are accused of attempting to steal another property belonging to MOB Integrated Services on May 26, 2019, by granting DDSS International Company Limited a credit facility of ₦1 billion. These actions are said to violate sections 411, 280, and 21 of the Lagos State Criminal Laws of 2011.
Prosecutor Rilwan stated that despite being notified, the defendants failed to appear in court for their arraignment. He urged the court to issue a bench warrant to ensure their presence at future proceedings.
Justice Harrison granted the request and directed the arrest of the defendants, including principal officers, to secure their appearance at the next court session, scheduled for February 24, 2025.