The office of the Special Investigator for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has warned the warned the Chairman of Titan Trust Bank, Babatunde Lemo against obstructing investigation by not honouring the 28th December invitation.
This is in reaction to the letter received by the office from the legal counsels representing Lemo and two other shareholders in Union Bank, Cornelius Vink and Rahul Savara, stating their inability to honour the invitation due to their absence in the country.
According to the letter from Lemo’s team, the TTBank chairman, Vink and Savara were not due to be back in the country before the second week in January 2024.
However, responding to the letter, the office of the Special Investigator, in a letter dated December 27th, 2023, informed Lemo’s lawyers that the initial date for the invitation will not be changed.
The full letter reads “Reference is made to the Law Firm of G.ELIAS letter dated 27th December, 2023 in response to the Special Investigator’s invitation to you via a letter with reference number CR:3000/TSl/ABJ/VOL.l /69 dated 24th December, 2023 in respect of the above subject.
2) I am directed to inform you that the Special Investigator is fully aware that you are in the United Kingdom to celebrate your birthday. This you made aware to the Special Investigator when you agreed to attend a meeting to be scheduled for 28th December 2023 and also proposed that Mr. Cornelius Vink and Rahul Savara be given 7 (seven) days to prove their purported ownership of Titan Trust Bank and Union Bank of Nigeria or forfeit the shares to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Accordingly, this excuse given by your goodselves through your lawyers is unacceptable and regarded as obstruction of the Special Investigator in the course of his duties.
3) We want to put it on record that neither you (Babatunde Lemo) nor Cornelius Vink nor Rahul Savara ever submitted any of these requested documents to the investiga_ting team at Department of State Service (DSS) or anywhere else before now. In fact, Cornelius Vink and Rahul Savara have never presented themselves to the Special Investigator since 28th August 2023 when they were first invited for interview.
4) The Special Investigator also directs that you should be informed that documents submitted through proxies shall not be accepted as Mr. Cornelius Vink, Mr. Rahul Savara and your goodself will be required to speak to whatever document(s)/information you present during the meeting.
5) Consequently, I am to further inform you that your invitation to appear before the Special Investigator on 28th December, 2023 by 2pm prompt in respect of the matter under investigation and for which you had earlier made statement; stands.
6) Kindly note that the conditions on paragraphs 6 to 8 in our earlier letter to you with reference number CR:3000/TSl/ABJ/VOL. 1/69 dated 24th December 2023 remains effective and shall be triggered if you or Messrs Vink and Savara fail to attend the meeting as scheduled.
7) Accept please, the warm assurances of the Special Investigator’s high esteem.”
ThisNigeria reports that team had earlier on August 28 invited Lemo and other core shareholders of TTB for a crucial meeting, but the Secretary of Union Bank Plc, Somuyiwa Sonubi, had in response to the invite on September 1, given reasons why the invited persons could not meet up the appointment.
However, the latest invitation was sequel to Lemo’s defence in one of the national dailies on Sunday, following the release of the report of the special investigation into the activities of the CBN and other related entities.
