Precious Ugwuzor
Descendants and probated trustees of late Mobolaji Bank Anthony’s Will have accused some banks and stock registrars of colluding with impostors to defraud the $50b estate he left behind.
The also accused them of allegedly diverting proceeds of the estate and charity funds meant for other institutions for almost three decades without the family knowing about the existence of his will.
Speaking on behalf of the probated trustees, Queen Irene Cole, the deceased’s goddaughter said what the banks and impostors did was multi-layered bilking, adding that they denied all statutory beneficiaries including over 20 organisations engaged in non-profit ventures.
Cole, a septuagenarian who was accompanied to the press briefing in Ikeja, Lagos, by actress, Funmiade Bank-Anthony, a grandchild of the late billionaire, lawyers and consultant to the Estate, said that Bank Anthony had bulk of over $50b worth of estate in Nigeria, United Kingdom (UK), United States of America (USA) and the Isle of Jersey as at his death on May 26, 1991.
She said he left a Will dated April 10, 1991 where beneficiaries were named and some persons mentioned as trustees/executors adding that not many members of the family knew details of the Will until Funmiade granted an interview on July 13, 2019,where she said her grandfather did not leave any of his properties to his offsprings.
Cole, who is an Executive Probated Trustee of Bank Anthony’s Estate and daughter to the late billionaire’s best friend, Thomas Babington Olusoji Cole, said the viral interview caught her attention and she decided to set the records straight since she was in the know of the true facts.
According to her, the banks were not open and transparent in their involvement in what has become a big scam carried out with some nominated trustees who were to replace deceased original trustees, adding that even after court’s judgement recognising the true beneficiaries, the financial institutions have continued to frustrate all attempts at ensuring they got what was due them by allowing the syndicate run accounts of the estate without being probated trustees.
Clarifying knotty areas, Cole said those nominated by Bank Anthony during the April 10, 1991 review of his Will were Dr. Bolaji Kuti, Dr. (Mrs) Abiola Refell, Mr. Aleshilonye Williams and Dr. Deinde Aganga-Williams (Nee Adio-Moses). “While Dr. Kuti was Bank Anthony’s family doctor with no blood relationship, Williams and Reffel were said to be related to Bank Anthony.
“Dr. Aganga-Williams had no idea she was nominated as a trustee in the Will for over 29 years. Dr. Kuti was the only one who got probated at that time.
“But since the Will barred a single Trustee from acting alone, the other individuals conspired to give a facade of being properly in charge.
“They then proceeded to coldly bilk the estate’s large concerns in Nigeria, 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.”
Specifically, the family alleged that Aleshilonye Williams, who also goes by the name of Olajide Aleshilonye, was the main kingpin in the syndicate.
They said with the demise of Dr. Bolaji Kuti and Dr. Abiola Reffell, he converted millions meant for different beneficiaries, conspired with sundry Registrars over shares held by the billionaire, declared to the Bank Anthony larger family that they were left out of the Will and then gave them N200 million to share claiming it was a gift from his personal pocket.
“Using a multi-layered network of strange law enforcement top notch, footmen, rough necks and enforcers, they bilked the estate for over three decades.
“They left the beneficiaries out, in the cold with nothing, through concealment, deceit and outright violation of the trust for personal gains,” said the family.
It listed Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, Sir Mobolaji Bank Anthony Cancer Research Funds at the University of Ibadan, The Nigerian Society for the Blind, Ahmadu Bello University, Nigerian Academy of Science, among others, as some of the institutions that were deprived of annual funds and other grants earmarked for them by Bank Anthony in his Will.
Cole said her quest to correct that erroneous impression with the truth has led to her life being threatened because her revelations exposed a well greased international heist led by Williams Aleshilonye who incidentally is not a Probated Trustee.
Cole said she and her Personal Assistant were taken hostage at gun point and threatened to release some original documents.
“The dark reason behind the unbridled harassment, death threats and incessant arrests and detention was because Queen Irene Cole has knowledge and proof of Sir Bank Anthony’s Will which was a most compassionate bequest to 20 Nigerian corporate entities, laudable causes and some other beneficiaries” she told press men.
Already, Cole said Dr. Deinde Aganga-Williams has been recognised as the Lead Trustee and that Aleshilonye with his accomplice, Cornelius Taiwo Olaoma were now “within the arms and grip of the law,” appealing to the Inspector General of Police to look into a number of Banks or Registrars with any account belonging to Sir Mobolaji Bank Anthony.
