Although Innoson Nigeria Limited and its Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director, Mr. Innocent Chukwuma, had on Friday withdrew an ex-parte application initiated against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) has maintained its innocence.
According to the bank, Chukwuma and his company were still its valued customers notwithstanding the event of the past week.
It said: “Irrespective of the issues we are facing with the company, Innoson remains a customer of the bank and we owe him a duty of confidentiality and to conduct ourselves in a responsible manner towards him.”
However, Innoson had in the ex- parte application filed before the Federal High Court in Lagos sued the Attorney-General of the Federation, Nigeria Police Force, Inspector-General of Police and Guaranty Trust Bank.
Innoson alleged that his recent arrest and detention by the EFCC was at the instance of GTB.
Although the ex- parte application was filed last week Thursday, Justice Hadiza Shagari had adjourned till Friday to hear it.
When the matter came up on Friday, GTB’s lawyer, Adebowale Kamoru, urged the court to decline entertaining Innoson’s ex-parte application on the ground material facts were suppressed.
Citing several judicial authorities, he prayed the court to grant leave for his client to be heard in the case.
But Innoson’s lawyer, Prof. MacCarty Mbaduagha said he had been instructed by his client to withdraw the ex-parte application. Kamoru did not oppose him.
Consequently, Justice Shagari granted Mbaduagha’s prayer.
“In view of the application of the applicants’ counsel, the application is hereby granted,” the judge held.
