Sonny Odogwu Estate: Court Fixes May 18 For Hearing Of All Applications And Trial

The Federal High Court, Lagos, has fixed May 18, 2022 for hearing of all pending applications in, and the commencement of trial in the suit filed by Access Bank Plc against the Administrators of the Estate of late business mogul, Chief Sonny Odogwu and other companies over an alleged N50 billion debt.

The trial Judge, Justice Daniel Emeka Osiagor fixed the date after Access Bank Plc’s counsel, Mr Oluwakemi Balogun, SAN, informed the court that he was just being served with two counter-affidavits to his client’s originating summons and mareva injunction by the counsel to the Respondents in the suit.

Mr E. Akpan, Counsel to the Respondents, admitted serving Access Bank Plc’s counsel late with the said counter-affidavits, but pleaded with the court that the situation that caused such was beyond his ability, and that such will not happen again.

Access Bank Plc’s counsel, Balogun, SAN, thereafter asked for leave of the court to file a further affidavit, and reply on points of law in response to the counter-affidavits. There was no objection to this.

However, Mr. Anthony Idigbe, SAN, counsel to the 1st-3rd Defendant in the suit, told the court that he was not objecting to the motion on notice, but objecting to the written address in respect to his clients’ notice of preliminary objection.

Following the brief arguments of counsels, Justice Daniel Osiagor, adjourned the matter till May 18, for hearing of all applications in the suit and commencement of trial.

Access bank had instituted the suit, to take over the late businessman’s Project Finance property, over alleged unpaid N50 billion debt.

Chief Anthony Idigbe, SAN, also filed preliminary objection to the suit

The Administrator, Kenneth (Kenny) Odogwu, alongside late Odogwu’s companies, Robert Dyson & Diket Limited and SIO Properties Limited, and the Registrar of Title, Federal Land Registry, are the Respindents in the suit.

The Plaintiffs, Access Bank, Siete Trading Limited, have dragged the Respondents before the court in a suit filed by its counsel Mr Kemi Balogun, SAN, marked FHC/L/CS/1955/2021, for an alleged N50 billion debt.

The Respondent/Applicants in a motion on notice filed before the court, are asking for an order dismissing Access Bank’s case, or in the alternative, striking out the suit for want of jurisdiction.

The Respondent/Applicants said their objection to the suit was based on an abuse of court process, that the Plaintiffs lack the locus standi to institute the instant suit.