GTBank Defamation Trial: 'We wrote statements under duress' - Journalists

Four journalists standing trial before the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, in the alleged cyberstalking and defamation case filed by Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), holding company of GTBank, have narrated how they were coerced by the police to write statements without access to legal representation.

The defendants in suit number FHC/L/774C/2024 insisted that despite their requests to consult with their lawyers, the police forced them to write statements, threatening to deny them custody leave unless they complied.

It will be recalled that the four journalists—Precious Eze, Olawale Rotimi, Rowland Olonishuwa, and Seun Odunlami—were arrested in September 2024 by the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Lagos, following a petition by GTCO accusing them of defamation and cyberstalking.

In their argument, the defence legal team, including Barr. Olakunle Afolabi and Adebisi Adeniyi objected to the admittance of the statements as evidence, arguing that the statements were taken involuntarily and under coercion.

Earlier, during cross-examination, the IPO, ASP Yaqoub Sule, claimed that the suspects wrote their statements in a conducive environment. However, he admitted before the court that the suspects wrote the statements without their legal representatives present, stating that the defendants had informed the police that their lawyers were on their way.

In his ruling, Justice Ayokunle Faji adjourned the trial to Friday, October 25, and asked both parties to provide further evidence to validate their claims.

A press statement released by Mr. Michael Azeez Ogunsiji of The Encounter News, noted that the House of Representatives recently launched an investigation into allegations of corruption, falsification of financial reports, and money laundering against Mr. Segun Agbaje, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO), and the bank itself. The investigation followed a petition submitted by Alhaji Yusuf Kabiru, President of the Arewa Consultative Youth Movement, and presented by Hon. Nnamdi Ezechi from Delta State to the lawmakers.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee, according to the press statement, reportedly directed Guaranty Trust Holding Company to calculate and remit the Value Added Tax on commissions received from Remita transactions between 2015 and 2022 to the Federal Government.

The committee, chaired by Bamidele Salam, who represents Ede South/Ede North/Ejigbo/Egbedore Federal Constituency in Osun State, issued the directive during an ongoing investigation into alleged revenue leakages through the Remita platform. GTCO’s Executive Director, Mr. Ahmed Liman admitted that the bank had not remitted the VAT for eight years.

Additionally, the Global Integrity Crusade Network (GICN), a non-governmental organization, stormed the National Assembly on October 3, seeking a legislative probe into alleged “corruption, fraud, and financial irregularities” in the bank.

In a statement signed by Amb. Comr. Adebayo Lion Ogorry, Director of Publicity and Mobilization, the group claimed that a private investigator’s report revealed that under the leadership of Segun Julius Agbaje, GTCO had engaged in unsolicited account openings, declaration of fictitious profits, round-tripping, money laundering, terrorism financing, and the use of customers’ and investors’ funds to pay penalties in the United Kingdom.

The journalists currently undergoing trial had brought these issues to public attention in their publications.