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FRAUD MUST BE SPECIFICALLY PLEADED

Dictum

United African Company Ltd. v. Taylor (1934) 2 WACA 67 at 71, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council said: “In the opinion of their Lordships there is no rule which is less subject to exception than the rule that charges of fraud and afortiori charges of criminal malversation or felony, against a defendant ought not to be made at the hearing of an action unless, in a case where there are pleadings, those charges have been definitely and clearly alleged so that the defendant comes into court prepared to meet them.”

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COMPANY WILL NOT BE USE AS AN INSTRUMENT OF FRAUD

It must be stated unequivocally that this court, as the last court of the land, will not allow a party to use its company as a cover to dupe, cheat and or defraud an innocent citizen who entered into lawful contract with the company, only to be confronted, with the defence of the company’s legal...

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FRAUD LIFTS VEIL OF INCORPORATION

One of the occasions when the veil of incorporation will be lifted is when the Company is liable for fraud as in the instant case. – Galadima JSC. Alade v. Alic (2010) Was this dictum helpful? Yes 0 No 0...

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FRAUD VITIATES ALL TRANSACTIONS – CONTRACT IS VOIDABLE AT THE ELECTION OF THE PARTY DEFRAUDED

Fraud vitiates even the most solemn of all transactions. In fact fraud vitiates everything even judgments and orders of the court. However, a contract or other transaction induced or tainted by fraud is not void but only voidable at the election of the party defrauded. See Western Bank of Scotland v. Addie (1867) L.R.Sc. &...

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FRAUD IN CIVIL SUIT MUST BE SPECIFICALLY PLEADED

It is trite law that where fraud is alleged it must be specifically pleaded and the particulars of the fraud given in order to enable the party defending the allegation to understand the case he is facing and thereby prepare his defence. – Amaizu, J.C.A. Adeniran v. Olagunju (2001) Was this dictum helpful? Yes 0...

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WHERE FRAUD, COURT WOULD LIFT THE VEIL OF INCORPORATION

FDB FINANCIAL SERVICES LTD. v. ADESOZA (2002) 8 NWLR (Pt. 668) 170 AT 173, the Court considering the power of a Court to lift the veil of incorporation held thus: “The consequences of recognizing the separate personality of a company is to draw a veil of incorporation over the Company. One is therefore generally not entitled to go behind or lift this veil. However, since a statute will not be allowed to be used as an excuse to justify illegality or fraud it is a quest to avoid the normal consequences of the statute which may result in grave injustice that the Court as occasion demands have to look behind or pierce the corporate veil.”

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