A Federal High Court, Lagos, on Thursday, November 30, ordered that 23 bank accounts domiciled with eight banks, belonging to some companies and individual be frozen pending the conclusion of investigation on the accounts.
These banks which housed the 23 accounts including: Diamond Bank Plc, Skye Bank Plc, First City Monument Bank Plc (FCMB), First Bank Nigeria Plc, and four others.
Justice (Professor) Chuka Obiozor, made the order while granting an Ex-parte application filed and argued before the court, by Mr. Murtala Usman, lawyer to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in a suit marked FHC/L/CS/1686/17, between Federal Republic of Nigeria and four respondents.
The respondents are: Wale Adekunle, Tosin Affinnih, Edward Williams and Olayinka Loveth.
The EFCC had approached the court for an order empowering it’s Executive Chairman or any other officers of the Commission to instruct the Managing Director of the banks contained in the schedule attached with the application to freeze the accounts belonging to the respondents pending the conclusion of investigation.
The respondents’ accounts are: Atlantic Finaplux Limited, Manhattan Corporate Essential Limited, Jodaf Investment Limited, Frenolen International Limited, Medlams Global Services, Tankarawa Bureau De Change, Self Reliance Advancement Programs and Desmie Medical Services.
Others includes: Calculus and Company, Mass Investment Fund, Limited, Domareen Global Services Limited, Mayiwa Williams Samuel, Sodipo Oludare, Soyode Akinlanwon, and Buchi and Seyi Obiefuna.
Others also including: Olateru Moses Olujimi, Alhassan Shuaibu Ibrahim, Adesanya Adeniyi Peter, Igboegwu Emeka Dominic, Ado Shuaibu Dandasundu, Musbau Abidemi, and Ali Mohammed.
Justice (Professor) Obiozor, granted the application, after listened to the submission of the EFCC lawyer.
The judge, however, ordered the EFCC to publish the said order in two national newspaper for anyone who may have interest in the said accounts to show cause before the court while the order should not made absolute.
The matter has been adjourned till December 15.
The EFCC in an affidavit and affidavit of urgency deposed by its investigator, the court to grant the application, the Boniface Uzoechi, stated that on July 6, 2017, his agency receiya petition dates June 5, 2017, from S. D. Ijie and Associates, on behalf of Equitorial Energy Limited, alleging therein a case of obtaining money under false pretence and stealing to the tune of N175.3 million.
The deponent also stated that the complainant alleged in the petition that sometimes in January 2017, his account officer in Skye Bank, the first defendant (Wale Adekunle), approached him with the second defendant (Tosin Affinnih) that they have a customer who is also a relative known to the third defendant (Edward Williams). And that the third defendant has a forex to sell at a reasonable price, and it was agreed by both parties that the naira equivalent will be paid into an account nominated by the second defendant who can only release the sum to the third defendant, upon transfer of the US Dollar equivalent to their suppliers offset, Messrs Endofa DMCC.
Boniface further stated that the complainant alleged that a total sum of N175.3 million was transferred to the accounts of Atlantic Finalplus Limited, Muyiwa Williams, Manhattan Corporate Essential Limited, and that the Dollar equivalent were not remitted to the suppliers, that is, Messrs Endofa DMCC till date.
He stated that it will be in the interest of justice and utmost public interest to grant the application.
