Media Manager of Innoson Group, Mr. Cornel Osigwe, has said his principal and Chairman of Innoson Group, Dr. Innocent Chukwuma, has not appeared in court following a suit filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission because the case amounts to abuse of court process. Osigwe alleged that the case instituted by EFCC at the Lagos State High Court was already before two federal high courts.

Osigwe said Chukwuma was innocent of the charges, stressing that he is a law-abiding citizen who will not be avoiding court appearance deliberately. He traced the origin of the case to a failed business transaction that involved Innoson, saying, “EFCC felt slighted and angered by Innoson’s refusal to accept its reconciliation contained in its letter of 20th September 2012. In December 2013, EFCC filed Charge No. ID/197C/2013 against Innoson and two others at the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja. Later, in 2014, the charge was struck out. However, Innoson, through his counsel, appealed against the order and as well filed a motion on notice at the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, praying, among others, that EFCC be restrained from filing a further charge in respect of the same subject matter until determination of the Appeal Nos: CA/L/1328CM/17, CA/L/1329CM/17 & CA/L/1330CM/17.”

Innoson was accused by EFCC of forging a shipping document, which he used to obtain a loan. But the company insisted that there was no forgery as all documents relating to its transactions were received and signed in a register. But an affidavit deposed to by an Internal Control Officer, Mr. Akpobome Usiakpo, claimed that a fire had burnt the register.

Chukwuma failed to appear in court for the fifth consecutive time on May 25, when the matter came up at the Ikeja high court. (ThisDay)

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