N179.3m Forex Fraud: Court Freezes 23 Bank Accounts Of Companies
Justice Chuka Obiozor of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Thursday, placed a no debit order on 23 accounts belonging to ten companies and four individuals domiciled in eight banks pending the conclusion of investigation on the accounts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Obiozor gave the order after entertaining an ex-parte application filed and argued before the court by Murtala Usman, lawyer to the EFCC.
The anti-graft agency 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.
After listening to the lawyer Justice (Professor) Obiozor, granted the application. He however directed the commission to publish the said order in two national newspapers for anyone who may have interest in the said accounts to show cause before the court while the order should not be made absolute.
The banks affected by the freezing order include: Diamond Bank Plc, Skye Bank Plc, First City Monument Bank Plc (FCMB), First Bank Nigeria Plc, and four others.
The respondents in the case are: Wale Adekunle, Tosin Affinnih, Edward Williams and Olayinka Loveth.
The accounts’ names 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 include: Calculus and Company, Mass Investment Fund, Limited, Domareen Global Services Limited, Mayiwa Williams Samuel, Sodipo Oludare, Soyode Akinlanwon, and Buchi Seyi Obiefuna.
Others are: Olateru Moses Olujimi, Alhassan Shuaibu Ibrahim, Adesanya Adeniyi Peter, Igboegwu Emeka Dominic, Ado Shuaibu Dandasundu, Musbau Abidemi, and Ali Mohammed.
The EFCC, in an affidavit of urgency, deposed to by one of its investigators, Boniface Uzoechi, urged the court to grant the application.
Uzoechi stated that on July 6, 2017, the anti-graft agency received a petition dated 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) that the third defendant has 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.
The matter has been adjourned till December 15.
