A Federal high
court sitting in Lagos south west Nigeria has restrained a Lagos businessman
Adeniyi Adebulugbe Jaiyesimi who resides at 16 Wesley Close, luxurious friends
colony estate, Lekki and carries on business at Donex Technical Services Ltd as
the Managing Director of the company from operating, withdrawing from or
dealing with his funds in any bank or financial institution within Nigeria
pending the hearing of the Bankruptcy suit filed against him.
The order of the court was sequel to a bankruptcy
petition filed by Sterling Bank Plc against Mr. Adeniyi Adebulugbe Jaiyesimi as
a debtor pending before the Court.
Mr. Jaiyesimi was alleged to have severally
borrowed huge sums of money from Magnum Trust Bank now Sterling Bank Plc. since
the beginning of 2003, and refused to repay the loan for so many years,
thereafter the bank obtained judgment against him in a suit CV/1208/2009 filed
before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in the sum of
N90,640,095.74 with a 10% interest until liquidation.
However, since 08 of June 2009 when the
judgment was delivered, Mr. Jaiyesimi has refused to pay the judgment sum
despite various efforts of the bank in this regard. The bank was therefore left
with no other option than to issue a bankruptcy proceedings against him before
the Federal High Court, Lagos south west Nigeria in suit FHC/L/BK/3/2019.
According to the Bankruptcy Act, when there
is a judgment against any person for money and a Bankruptcy notice is served on
him to pay, settle or arrange for the loan within 14 days of service of the
Bankruptcy Notice, if such a person fails to pay, settle or arrange for the
loan to be repaid within the 14 days
period, then such a person has committed a Bankruptcy Act and a Bankruptcy
Petition can be issued against him, consequently, a Bankruptcy Notice was
served on Jaiyesimi on 12th of April,19 and following his refusal to do the
needful, the Bank issued the Bankruptcy petition against him on 23rd of
May,2019.
Consequently, sterling bank seeks from
the court the following reliefs:
An order declaring the debtor bankrupt.,
Consequential
orders as follows:
Empowering the bank to sell the debtor’s
properties be it landed or chattels where-ever situate /or found including but
not limited to his shares wherever they are held either by private treaty or by
Public auction advert of which shall be published in two widely read Nigerian
National Dailies.
An order granting leave to the bank to
appropriate or otherwise utilize the properties, investments, shares or other
interests of the debtor whenever found and in all the companies /corporate
entities in Nigeria, in capital or full satisfaction of the debt due.
An order permitting/allowing the
Creditor to apply the proceeds from the sale of the Debtor’s properties chattels,
chooses in action or interest towards liquidating his indebtedness to the bank.
Meanwhile, the Presiding Judge Mohammed Liman
while adjourning till 17th October, 2019 for further hearing granted sterling bank’s prayer seeking to
freeze all the assets and funds of Mr. Jaiyesimi wherever they may be found
particularly those in the custody of banks.