Probated Trustees, family of late Mobolaji Bank-Anthony’s estate appeals to IGP Alkali Baba as banks, attempts to pocket dividend, other monies
Joy Anyim
The Probated Trustees and Executors of the estate of deceased foremost Industrialist and philanthropist, Sir Mobolaji Bank-Anthony, has called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, and regulatory financial bodies to prevail on banks and registrars withholding and delaying the payment of dividend and other monies from investments of the deceased to do the needful.
Making the call at a press conference recently held in Lagos, the Probated Trustees and Executors of the estate cried foul over the mismanagement of late Anthony’s over $50 billion worth of estate in Nigeria, UK, USA and Isle of Jersey, by three alleged criminal-minded persons in the last 29years.
Spokesperson for the Probated Trustee, Queen Irene Cole, alleged that the group conspiring with the banks and registrars had severally masterminded various criminal activities to sabotage and frustrate attempts to reclaim monies form the deceased’s investments.
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She also alleged that the Probated Trustees and Executors have been faced with death threats, unlawful arrests, detention amongst other illegalities spearheaded by a member of the alleged criminal gang, Mr. Olajide Aleshinloye.
Cole said although two of the gang member, Dr. Bolaji Kuti, and Dr. Abiola Refell are now dead, Mr. Aleshinloye, who is not a Probated Trustee of the estate has converted millions of Naira meant for the beneficiaries to his personal use.
Giving an insight into what she described as the largest white-collar crime, Cole, who is a goddaughter of the deceased said: “In his last Will of April 10, 1991, Sir Bank-Anthony nominated Trustees. Only Dr. Kuti got probated (at the time) after the transition of some original Trustees. However, the Will bars a single Trustee from acting solely. At this juncture, the other individuals teamed up to give a facade of being properly in charge.
“They teamed up to coldly bilk the estate’s large concerns in Nigeria, the UK and the Isles of Jersey for over 29 years, at the expense of all named institutional beneficiaries and worthy causes that were dear to the heart of Sir Bank Anthony.
“It became a free for all as each one appropriated what he or she could reach before the other. Beyond criminal negligence, the strong threads of collusion in this respect, are linked to Bankers, Registrars and certain persons in the shadows.
“In all of these, not even one property was renovated instead the cherished “Fountain Pen” house where Sir Mobolaji Bank-Anthony lived and died was handed over Aleshinloye Williams to a dubious developer for N5M at Ikoyi and nothing for the Beneficiaries to date.
“With the transition of the original executors/ trustees of the will, who out and the deaths of two members of the latter group, namely, Dr. Bolaji Kuti and Dr. Abiola Refell: the group was now left with the third and main kingpin, Mr. Aleshinloye Williams also known as Olajide Aleshinloye.
“He then went haywire, converting millions of money meant for different beneficiaries; conniving with sundry Registrars over shares held by the Testator and declaring to his larger family that they were left out of the Will – giving them 200 million Naira to share.
“By a swipe of flawless confidence trickery, he got the entire clan to reecho after him; that they had no say in the will and the sum of 5million each person got from the bulk, was a gift from his deep pockets and large heart.
“Using a multi-layered network of strange law enforcement top-notch, footmen, rough-necks and enforcers; they bilked the estate for over three decades! Within this period, they left the beneficiaries out, in the cold with nothing: through concealment, deceit and outright violation of the trust, for personal gains.
“Along the line, efforts by these probated Trustees spearheaded by me, almost led to their murder by the agents of the gang. I and my Personal Assistant were taken at gunpoint and threatened with death, to release some original documents.
“The dark reason behind the unbridled harassment, death threats and incessant arrests and detention was that I have knowledge and proof of Sir Banks Will: which was a most compassionate bequest to 20 Nigerian corporate entities, laudable causes and some other beneficiaries.”
Speaking on the recovery, Cole questioned the rationale for allowing the alleged fraudsters to run accounts without being Probated Trustees of the estate.
She maintained the banks and registrars have also continued to steal from the beneficiaries, creating bottlenecks in a bid to frustrate the probated trustees and executors in achieving their goal.
Her words: “Registrars are powerful and continue to create roadblocks to steal and deprive the Beneficiaries. For instance we’ve served and provided all documentation but when we served First Registrars again on November 6, 2021 only to find out that money had been removed on the November 11, 2021.
“We quickly complained to the police. Barrister Nimbe and Mr. Henry claimed that it was money from Sir Bank-Anthony that had been abandoned. So on that November 11, he claimed it was sent back to the companies. Whilst we were in the police station both the head of compliance said that they don’t know how much money that was sent back because they said they mixed it with other clients money.
“So they claimed that the money has gone. As for the rest of the money they said they were compiling and after another week they will upload to the Estate account. We are still waiting.”
Similarly, the granddaughter of the late Industrialist, Funmiade Bank-Anthony, also appealed to the IGP to ensure banks and or registrars with any account belonging to Sir Mobolaji Bank-Anthony, make the necessary payments.
