Alleged $32.6m Fraud: Court Strikes Out Charges Against Princess Toyin Kolade

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Friday struck out the N32.6bn charge preferred against Princess Toyin Kolade, the Iyaalaje of Odualand, by the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

Justice Peter Lifu who presided over the court threw out the charge, sequel to a withdrawal application made by the prosecutor, Dr. Pius Akutah, a Chief Counsel in AGF’s Office.

Dr. Akutah said he applied to withdraw the charge, as a result of a letter from the nominal complainant, Access Bank Plc.

Counsel to Iyalode Mr. Dele Adesina (SAN) commended the conduct of the prosecution as been a professional one by withdrawing the charge after objection is been raised.

Also, Mr. Dada, A. Awosika (SAN), counsel to other defendants equally commended the prosecution for the withdrawal, and urged the court to dismiss the charge and acquit and discharge the defendants because the charge was predicated on a businessman transaction.

However justice lifu in his bench ruling said that since the case was not heard on it merit but merely withdrawn before trial commenced, the appropriate order to make is to strike it out.

Justice Lifu, consequently, struck the charge and discharged all the defendants.

AGF had in a charge marked FHC/L/407c/2019, dragged Princess kolade alongside four india Nationals, namely: Prem Garg, Devashish Garg, Bhagwan Simgh Rawat and Mukul Tyagi and two Britons, Marcus Wade and Andrew Fairie, said to be at large, before the court on alleged charges.

Charged alongside the above-mentioned individuals are four companies: Metal Africa Steel Products Limited, Wilben Trade Limited, Fisolak Global Resources Limited and Kannu Aditya India Limited.