From a relatively unknown UK-based artiste, Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo, D’Banj has become one of the biggest musicians in Africa over the last decade. Widely known as the Kokomaster, D’Banj has several local and international awards and endorsement deals to his name today. However, the pop star seems to be going through an unpleasant period in his career as some people who claim to be owed by D’Banj are threatening a legal action against him. According to NET investigations, the issuance of dud cheques and non-payment of accrued debts top the list of infractions against the DB Records boss who now calls himself Bangalee.

As things stand, D’Banj may be dragged to court by a top oil and gas industry player, Henry Ojogho, vice chairman of Broron Group. Ojogho, who is also the vice chairman of MindHub Tehnologies, an integrated rice farming and milling production company, alleges that D’Banj, through his company, DKM Media Limited, obtained a loan of over N60 million from him in January 2013 and has not paid back the said sum despite signing an undertaking to do so.

In addition, the man is claiming that the entertainer has issued two cheques already; one on December 20, 2013 and another on January 20, 2014, both of which had to be returned unpaid after presentation because the pop star’s accounts were not funded enough.

According to documents obtained by NET, a firm of attorneys, D.U. Odigie & CO acting on behalf of Henry Ojogho, in a letter addressed to D’Banj, wrote: ‘‘Following the default by D KINGS MEDIA LIMITED to pay the debt to our client, and pursuant to the aforementioned personal guarantee/Memorandum of Undertaking, you issued two post-dated cheques; one for the sum of $240 000 dated 20/12/2013, and the other for the sum of N15 million dated 20/1/2014. Both cheques were returned unpaid on presentation by our client.”

Further investigations by NET revealed that Henry Ojogho is not the only wealthy man claiming D’Banj owes him in recent times. There are a number of others, according to our sources.

So bad is the situation that an industry source who requested anonymity, said: “Using the sympathy and naivety of unsuspecting investors coming into the game to dupe them is criminal and absolutely destroying the image of the industry at large, because in the long run it affects and corrupts the judgment of genuine investors who would pull out for fear of being duped.”

NET also contacted the law firm of the claimant and a lawyer at the chambers but who doesn’t want his name disclosed spoke to us, saying: “It is true that we have such a case in court but the case is yet to come up for hearing so I cannot comment on it yet.

“I cannot make any comments now because the defendant has not been served the court papers because they said he’s out of the country. But, any moment from now, he’ll receive the writ of summons. As soon as he receives it, then it becomes a public case. “But for now that he has not been served, the law does not allow me to make such comments because as far as the law is concerned, the man is not aware yet, but I can confirm to you that the matter is in court.”— NET.

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