COSON files contempt charge against Access Bank MD over seized funds

The Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Nigeria’s biggest collective management organisation, has filed a contempt charge against the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Plc, Mr. Roosevelt Michael Ogbonna.

COSON and Access Bank had been in court for about four years, following the freezing of the accounts of the former by the later, on the order of a court in a case brought against COSON by aggrieved stakeholders. The order was thereafter vacated.

In the latest of the judgment awarding victory to COSON, Justice Yellin S. Bogoro of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on May 4, 2022, ordered Access bank to unfreeze the accounts and pay COSON N70 million in damages for unlawfully continuing to freeze the accounts. But Access Bank has refused to budge.

This has led to series of public demonstration at the offices of Access Bank in Lagos, by members of COSON, who called on the bank to obey the judgment of the court and pay the society its money, bulk of which are royalties accruing to thousands of Nigerian musicians.

COSON, apparently becoming frustrated, on Monday announced that it has entered contempt proceedings against the Access Bank MD, Ogbonna and the bank’s Company Secretary, Mrs. Ifeyinwa Osime, for failing to heed the Federal High Court order.

READ: Musicians storm Access Bank, demand immediate release of COSON’s money

In a statement made available to RELIABLESOURCENG.COM, COSON said it has filed a “Notice of Consequences of Disobedience to Order of Court”, otherwise known as Form 48, at the Federal High Court, Lagos directed at Mr. Ogbonna and Mrs. Osime.

It reads: “Take notice that unless you obey the order contained in the Judgement of this Honourable Court dated the 4th day of May, 2022 to wit:

“An order of this court is hereby made directing the Defendant to IMMEDIATELY unfreeze the Plaintiff’s account with the bank frozen without any court order whatsoever and to release all restrictions placed on the plaintiff’s bank accounts including the withdrawal of funds from the account;

“An Order of injunction is hereby made restraining the Defendants or its agents, privies or servants from further freezing the accounts of the Plaintiff or placing any restriction on the accounts of the Plaintiff without a valid court order, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.”