Court orders withdrawal of fraud claims against businessman

The Federal High Court in Lagos has cleared a businessman, Mr. Ebi Otsaye Ogionwo, in a charge filed against him by the police following a complaint by Mr. Oluwatosin Adefila.
The police claimed Ogionwo obtained $300,000 from Adefila by false pretences.
In an affidavit, Ogionwo’s lawyers said Adefila misrepresented facts and misled the police into filing the suit.
According to the affidavit, Ogionwo’s business relationship with Adefila spanned 15 years “with full and satisfactory performance”.
The document said the corporate entity represented by Ogionwo accessed loan facilities in varying sums from Adefila’s Boltzemo Nigeria Ltd in 2018 and 2021 and repaid them with full interest.
However, the repayment of the $300,000 loan granted in 2022 was late due to the nonperformance of a third-party organisation engaged by the corporate entity represented by Ogionwo.
Adefila was said to have been aware of the third-party nonperformance but mounted intense pressure on Ogionwo to pay.
Justice D.E. Osiagor, on January 30, ordered Adefila and his associates to “retract and remove all offensive publications” portraying Ogionwo as dishonest and fraudulent.
The judge also ordered Adefila’s lawyer, Mr. Justice Akosem “to appear before the Court on May 26th, 2025 to explain the justification for the threatening messages sent to other parties,” including Ogionwo.
The judge ordered that the outstanding sum of $185,000 owed by the corporate entity represented by Ogionwo be deposited in the bank account of the Federal High Court Deputy Chief Registrar pending the retraction and removal of all offensive publications made against Ogionwo.
It was learnt that the deposit has been made in compliance with the order.
Therefore, all debt obligations to Adefila’s Bolzemo Nigeria Ltd have been met, Ogionwo’s lawyers said.
Ogionwo’s legal team has filed a defamation suit in the High Court of Lagos State, Epe Division, against Adefila, the police, S. O. Ayodele, Independent Communications Network Ltd; Akin Kuponiyi; Town Crier; EchoNews, and Felix Kuyi.
The lawyers aver that their client’s image and reputation have been irreparably damaged by the offensive publications.
They are, on behalf of their client, seeking N2 billion in damages for defamation, cyberbullying, intimidation, harassment, and online stalking.
Ogionwo’s lawyers are also seeking a court order that the defendants tender an unreserved apology to Ogionwo and that the sixth to the tenth defendants publish a retraction.