Tunde Lemo and the 2 main traders in Titan Belief Financial institution and Union Financial institution had requested to delay their look earlier than the Particular Investigator.
The Particular Investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu to probe the Central Financial institution of Nigeria (CBN), Jim Obazee, has rejected a request by the Chairman of Titan Belief Financial institution (TTB), Tunde Lemo, and the 2 main traders within the financial institution to delay their look earlier than the investigator till the second week of January 2024.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Obazee on 24 December summoned Mr Lemo, Cornelius Vink and Rahul Savara to look earlier than his staff of investigators on Thursday over TTB’s acquisition of Union Financial institution in 2022.
The particular investigator, in his report submitted to President Tinubu on 20 December, stated he discovered that former Governor of CBN, Godwin Emefiele, used ill-gotten wealth to accumulate Union Financial institution and Keystone Financial institution by way of proxies.
However after Mr Lemo denied the allegation in regards to the acquisition of Union Financial institution by TTB, the workplace of the Particular Investigator requested the previous deputy governor of the CBN and the 2 others to look for additional clarifications on the controversy.
Nevertheless, in a letter dated 27 December, a regulation agency representing each TTB and Union Financial institution, stated the three males are at present exterior the nation, urging that the appointment be rescheduled.
“Sadly, each Mr. Tunde Lemo and the 2 largest final traders within the Banks (Mr. Cornelius Vink; Mr. Rahul Savara) are away from Nigeria in the mean time for household and different causes. That’s usually so at the moment of the yr. They aren’t on account of be in Nigeria earlier than the second week in January 2024. They’ll honour the invites absolutely quickly after they arrive in..
“With regard to the knowledge requested, which we submitted earlier on 1st September 2023 on the DSS HQ as evidenced in Annex 1 therewith, we’ll resubmit the knowledge tomorrow morning on your form evaluate. The person invitees and the Banks re-iterate their willingness and readiness to cooperate along with your good selves in your vital work,” the legal professionals stated within the letter.
However in a swift response by way of a letter of the identical date signed by its Head of Operations, Eloho Okpoziakpo, the workplace of the particular investigator insisted on the scheduled assembly, warning of the implications of the three males failing to honour their invitation.
“I’m directed to tell you that the Particular Investigator is absolutely conscious that you’re in the UK to rejoice your birthday. This you made conscious to the Particular Investigator whenever you agreed to attend a gathering to be scheduled for twenty eighth December 2023 and likewise proposed that Mr. Cornelius Vink and Rahul Savara be given 7 (seven) days to show their purported possession of Titan Belief Financial institution and Union Financial institution of Nigeria or forfeit the shares to the Federal Authorities of Nigeria. Accordingly, this excuse given by your good selves by way of your legal professionals is unacceptable and considered obstruction of the Particular Investigator in the midst of his duties.
“We wish to put it on report that neither you (Babatunde Lemo) nor Cornelius Vink nor Rahul Savara ever submitted any of those requested paperwork to the investigating staff at Division of State Service (DSS) or anyplace else prior to now. Actually, Cornelius Vink and Rahul Savara have by no means offered themselves to the Particular Investigator since twenty eighth August 2023 once they have been first invited for interview.
“The Particular Investigator additionally directs that try to be knowledgeable that paperwork submitted by way of proxies shall not be accepted as Mr Cornelius Vink, Mr Rahul Savara and your goodself will probably be required to talk to no matter doc(s)/info you current in the course of the assembly.
“Consequently, I’m to additional inform you that your invitation to look earlier than the Particular Investigator on twenty eighth December,, 2023 by 2pm immediate in respect of the matter underneath investigation and for which you had earlier made assertion; stands.
“Kindly word that the situations on paragraphs 6 to eight in our earlier letter to you with reference quantity CR:3000/TSI/ABJ/VOL. 1/69 dated twenty fourth December 2023 stays efficient and shall be triggered in the event you or Messrs Vink and Savara fail to attend the assembly as scheduled,” the letter reads.
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In its earlier letter of 24 December to Mr Lemo, the workplace of the particular investigator had warned of the implications of failing to cooperate with the investigators, which it referred to within the newest letter as “situations.”
The workplace had beforehand warned: “Kindly word that if Messrs Cornelius Vink and Rahul Savara refused to attend this assembly and supply/defend the requested paperwork/info, it is going to be construed that they’ve determined to forfeit their purported shareholdings in TTB and Union Financial institution of Nigeria; no matter which car that they’re utilizing to personal the purported shares.
“Must you additionally refuse to attend the assembly to offer further assertion to your earlier assertion made in August 2023, it is going to be construed that you just misled the Nigerian public along with your response within the Punch Newspapers right now which has gained vast publicity in each digital and print media.”
