By Lawal Adenike
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of a Federal High Court in Lagos, on Friday, fined ex-Super Eagles captain, Kanu Nwankwo and his hotel, Hardley Apartments the sum of N30,000.
The football legend and his hotel were fined for stalling the scheduled hearing of debt recovery suit brought against them by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).
It can be recalled that AMCON had dragged Nwankwo, his hotel and its director, Ayoola Gamikon before the court over alleged debt of N924.7m in 2015.
However, at the hearing on Friday, Nwankwo’s lawyer, T.A Idelegbagbon, told the court that she was withdrawing all motions filed earlier regarding the suit in 2017.
Objecting to the request, AMCON’s counsel, Jayes Ujah, urged the court to fine the respondent for filling frivolous motion, adding that he had already filed his response to the processes sought to be withdrawn.
Ujah also demanded that the court dismisses all new processes filed by Nwankwo and his hotel as they contained facts that were earlier admitted to.
After listening to the submission of both parties, Judge Aneke granted the respondents’ request for withdrawal of motion and ordered them to pay a fine of N30,000 for stalling further hearing in the matter, adding that the fine be paid before January 20, 2022 when further hearing in the matter will resume.
AMCON had in 2015 dragged Nwankwo and his hotel to court in a bid to recover alleged debt owed a bank.
In an affidavit deposed to by a credit officer, Victor Igabor, in support of the suit, AMCON said the bank offered Hardley Apartments a loan of N520,457,000 which it could not repay between May 2008 and January 2011.
The respondents’ indebtedness was said to be N924,788,754.56 in October 15, 2021, representing principal and interest.
