By Enyim Enyim

ONITSHA—A Federal High Court sitting in Anambra State, has ordered the Managing Director of Access Bank Plc, Mr. Aigboje Imoukhuede or his deputy, Mr. Herbert Wigwe to appear before the court in person on July 21, for hearing in the  contempt proceedings brought against them by an Onitsha-based industrialist and transporter, Chief Sebastine Udemba.

Udemba, had brought a committal proceeding against the bank, Imoukhuede, Wigwe and three others for their failure to release the title deeds of one of his landed property since 2007, when the plaintiffs liquidated the credit facility granted him and his company, Chiemezie Motors Limited, by the defendants, as ordered by the court.

In the consolidated suit, Chiemezie Motors Limited and Chief Udemba, through their counsel, Mr Ifeanyi Okumah, brought the committal proceeding against Commercial Bank, Credit Lyonnais Nigeria Limited, now Access Bank Plc, praying the court to issue a bench warrant for the arrest of the top management of the bank,  for failing to appear before the court to show why they had refused to release the title deeds as ordered by the court.

Trial judge in the matter, Justice Peter Olayiwola, in his ruling after counsel to the defendants  addressed the court, threatened to issue a warrant for the arrest of the defendants, if they failed to show up in court on the next adjourned date. The matter was subsequently adjourned till July 21.