The futile attempt by Ecobank to rubbish the image and forcibly take over the operations of La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort has been put to rest as a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos struck out the N46.7m suit against the resort and its founder, Otunba Wanle Akinboboye, for lacking in merit.
The court in a recent judgment not only struck out the case for lacking in merit but thereafter set aside the Mareva orders made in the month of May 15, 2023 against the resort and Akinboboye, and awarded cost against Ecobank. In particular, the court held that Akinboboye was not indebted to Ecobank.
The effect of the ruling of the court is a nullification of the basis for the defamatory publications made by Ecobank on May 17, 2023, alleging that La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort Limited and Akinboboye are indebted to the said bank in the sum of 46.7 million.
The management of La Campagne condemned the action of the bank, noting that it intentionally set out to embarrass the resort and its founder, saying, ‘‘There is no gainsaying the fact that the bank knew what it wanted to do from the onset and took steps to achieve same but was stopped on its heels by the court. ‘‘The bank through its lawyer threatened in their letter of 8th November 2022 as follows:”We are quite aware of the pedigree of the owner of La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort limited (Dr. Wale Akinboboye) and the company itself. We are quite sure that the adverse effect of our action would not be palatable.”
The management in a signed statement expressed thanks to all its partners, vendors, clients, personnel and their dependents, the resort communities and every individual and organisation that stood by it during this trying moment.
It assured them of the commitment of the resort to continue to operate according to the dictates of corporate business governance and the laws of the land to which it subscribes. It further noted that it would not allow itself to be distracted by fraudulent organisation seeking cheap popularity through blackmail and defamation as in the case instituted against it and its founder by Ecobank.