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Court adjourns warrant of arrest case against Innoson Motors’ boss

By Joseph Onyekwere
14 March 2018   |   4:09 am
A Federal High Court in Lagos has adjourned till May 22, hearing on the warrant of arrest case against the Chief Executive Officer of Innoson Motors, Innocent Chukwuma.The adjournment was at the instance of Chukwuma’s counsel, McCarthy Mbadugha.

Chairman of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) Innoson Group, Dr. Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma

A Federal High Court in Lagos has adjourned till May 22, hearing on the warrant of arrest case against the Chief Executive Officer of Innoson Motors, Innocent Chukwuma.The adjournment was at the instance of Chukwuma’s counsel, McCarthy Mbadugha.He had written to the court, seeking for an adjournment on the ground that he was before the Appeal Court in another matter.

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) had filed the warrant against Chukwuma and his company, Innoson Nigeria Limited, for their continued failure to appear before the court, to answer a forgery allegation. At the resumed hearing of the case, the court referred the prosecutor, Mr. Julius Ajakaiye, to the Mbadugha’s letter seeking an adjournment.In the said letter, Mbadugha had urged the court to adjourn the matter till May 20, when he would be in court.

But the prosecutor, Ajakaiye, and other defence counsels objected to the date and suggested May 22.Upon the consensus of counsels in court, Justice Ayokunle Faji adjourned the matter till May 22.

The Federal Government, through the office of the AGF, had filed a criminal charge of forgery before the court, against Chukwuma, his company, Innoson Nigeria Limited, and four others.Others in the charge are Charles Chukwu, Maximian Chukwura, Mitsui Osk Lines and Annajekwu Sunny.

The AGF alleged that all the accused persons, between January 2010 and April 2011, at Apapa Wharf, Lagos, conspired amongst themselves to falsify shipping documents, which they deposited with Mitsui Osk Lines Lagos.The documents were allegedly used as collateral for the purpose of clearance of raw materials, polyinlchloride (PVC), for the production of roof ceiling and other imported item.

The accused persons were also alleged to have without lawful authority and with intent to defraud, uttered the shipping clearance documents to the shipping Line, Mitsui Osk.The documents were used as collateral for the purpose of obtaining a loan of N2.4 billion from Guaranty Trust bank (GTB) for the purpose of clearing the raw materials.

They were further alleged to have falsely and fraudulently represented as genuine, the uttered shipping documents and presented them to GTB for the loan.The alleged offences, according to the prosecution, are contrary to and punishable under sections 3(6), 1(2)(C) of the miscellaneous offences Act Cap. M. 17 Laws of the Federation 2004.

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