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Ex-Fortune international bank battle NDIC over allege debt of N2.3billion

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Ex-Fortune international bank battle NDIC over allege debt of N2.3billion

In a bid to forestall the violation of his right the former Chairman of Fortune International bank Plc, Henry Adawari Macpeple and his company Suffolk Petroleum  services limited  have instituted N150billion suit against Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation NDIC Over alleged N2.3billion debt.

Other defendants in the suit are Inspector General of Police, the Commissioner of Police Special Fraud unit and one Assistant commissioner of Police, Mike Opete.

In an affidavit sworn to by a legal practitioner Hakeem Babalola and filed before a Federal high court in Lagos south West Nigeria, by the law firm of A. N. Odebe, it was alleged that sometime in 1999 Suffolk petroleum services limited was awarded contract of US $42,175,274.00 for the procurement of jacket and facilities improvement, consequent upon which the company obtained N2.3billion from Fortune International bank Old.

In other to facilitate the effectual of other contracts awarded to the various companies in the Adamac group of companies in which Suffolk Petroleum services was one had applied for and obtain credit from several banks. Adawari Macpepple did not play any role neither did he exert any influence in the procurement of  the said loan, and there were no incident of insider abuse.

However, the company was shocked when on 6th of June, 2004 a statement of account in its name leading to a closing balance of N5,529,370,896,20 was sent directly to the office of the Chairman  of the company. The company protested but on the 10th of August, 2014 when the company presumed the issue had been resolved, but was surprise to receive a letter from the bank claiming the sum of N9,329,621,471.29 the company protested and while they were preparing for the reconciliation exercise.

Macpepple was surprised to receive from the managing director of the bank, Mr Fidelis Tilijie, another memo date 25th August, 2014 stating that given our present circumstances the financial statement in my opinion represents a fair assessment of the banks as presented by firm of accountant Akintola Williams. The company received a letter dated 14th of September, 2004 stating the company’s exposure  and indebtedness to the bank to be about  N4billion.

However, Mr Tilije on 2nd of December, 2004 wrote a petition to Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) in which he alleged that the indebtedness of the company to Forture bank was N16,227,353,579.67.

Thereafter,  after months of investigations, it was discovered that the bank charged excessive, arbitrary and onerous interest and other charges, charged of compound interest, carrying on of foreign exchange related transactions on the company’s account without mandate, EFCC also discovered that shell was owing the company millions of dollars, while it was also discovered there was no insider abuse.

Consequently, the plaintiff urge the court to declare that the loan obtain by the company  was not obtained under  pretence and that all the loan obtain  by the bank has been fully   paid and the company is no longer indebted to NDIC.

However, the Inspector General of police and the Commission of Police special fraud unit in a counter affidavit sworn to by one Inspector Adeola Ogunsanya whose team was directed to investigate the petition of Fortune International bank in liquidation against Henry MacPepple and related companies address to the Commissioner of Police special fraud unit dated 17th of November, 2016, averred that claims of the applicant are false and misleading as police is constitutionally positioned to receive complaints from members of the public including NDIC for investigation.

In an affidavit sworn to by Inspector Ogunsanya and filed before the court by Police legal officer Mr Azubuike Sylvester from Police Special Fraud unit, the deponent averred that, as soon as police received the petition, investigation commenced, and Henry Adawari MacPepple  among others were invited in order to also hear from the. MacPepple volunteered his statement and was offered police administrative bail but instead of him to report back with relevant information that will assist the police in their investigation he ran to the court for protection from further investigation and possible prosecution in law court and fabricated lies against the police.

Consequently, Mr Azubuike contended that granting the applicants application will jeopardize the interest of the defendants and occasioned a miscarriage of  justice, as the case against the applicant under investigation is criminal in nature and is currently under investigation before this application from the applicants was filed. Consequently, the defendants urged the court to dismiss the applicant’s application with cost as it was ill conceived, nefarious, unscrupulous and a calculated attempt to mislead the court.

In a petition to the commissioner of Police Special fraud unit, by the NDIC, the depositor’s guarantee agency alleged that HENRY Adawari MacPepple was the erstwhile Chairman board of directors of defunct FORTUNE INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC, a position he occupied from April ,1999 till closure of the bank on the 16th of January 2006 by the Central bank of Nigeria.

During that time, several companies over which MacPepple had direct ownership or controlling shares transacted business with the bank at various times, NDIC alleged that Macpepple leverage on his position as board Chairman of the defunct Fortune International bank Plc as well as Managing Director/chief executive officer of Suffolk petroleum services limited a member of the Adamac group of companies located at plot 20, East-West road rumuodara, Portharcourt south South Nigeria  obtained a loan facility in the  sum of N2.3billion from Fortune International  bank without due process on the 1st of April, 2002 for Suffolk, Petroleum services limited, toward executing contract of procurement  and fabrication of KCDP jackey, but the loan facility was not used for the purpose it was advanced. The facility was unsecured  by any form of valid or sufficient collateral at the time of approval by the bank.

In the light of the above allegation, NDIC urge the Commissioner of Police special  fraud unit to use his good office to conduct criminal investigation into the alleged fraudulent transactions.

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