The scheduled arraignment of Dana Group of companies; Dana Steel Limited and one of it’s officials, Hathiramani Jacky Ranesh, before an Igbosere High Court, Lagos, over alleged issuance of N695 million dud cheques, could not proceed today, due to the burning down of the court by hoodlums during the #EndSARS protest in Lagos State.
The presiding judge, Justice Module Nicho-Clay, had on September 23, 2020, fixed today, Tuesday, October 27, 2020 for the arraignment of Dana Groups and its official, after their lawyer, Mr. Aderibigbe Adedeji, SAN, had sought the court’s permission to enable him study the charges against his clients.
The request was however, not opposed by Mr. Moshood Adeyemi, a counsel from the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF.
However, at the resumed hearing of the matter today, nobody was allowed into the court premises, due to the burning down of the entire court complex by the hoodlums, a situation which led to the stalling of the scheduled arraignment.
No date has been fixes for the arraignment of the defendants.
The prosecution had accused DANA Group, DANA Steel Limited and Mr. Hathiramani of committing the alleged offence between the months of January and March 2018, at their office located on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Lagos.
The AGF alleged that the defendants issued over 90 cheques of Ecobank Plc, for the payment of DANA Bond Series 11 Account, which were rejected.
The offence, according to the AGF, are contrary to section 1(1) (b) of the Dishonoured Cheques (Offences) Act, Chapter 011, Vol 5 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004; and section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
One of the charges against the defendants reads: “that you Dana Group Plc; Dana Steel Limited; Limited; Hathiramani Jacky Ranesh, ‘m’ and others at large all of DANA House, No 116, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Isolo-Lagos, between 14th February 2018 and 30th March 2018, Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did commit a felony to wit: conspired among yourselves to issue the following 34 (thirty four) Ecobank dud cheque: to Dana Bond series 11 payment Account with intent to deceive the beneficiary of he said Dana Bond series 11 payment Account, and thereby committed an offence which is contrary to Section 41 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
