The Federal High Court Abuja, on Thursday, granted the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s request to freeze two bank
accounts linked to a 26-year-old Nigerian student based abroad.
According to the EFCC’s Counsel, Richard Dauda in an exparte
application number: FHC/ABJ/CS/921/2019, the commission is
investigating a Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) received from
the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) against the
suspect, Mr Damilare Oluyemi.
”The investigation revealed that the suspect in the case under
investigation is a student who was involved in suspicious
transactions between May 11,2018 and June 6, 2018 amounting to 133,
955. 00 dollars and 40, 000 pounds,” he said
He said investigation further revealed that the suspect had
”substantial amount of funds in his Access Bank account number:
0790473099 and the Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB) account number:
9024884541590 which have not been touched.”
”A copy of the statements of Access Bank and GTB of the suspect
is attached and marked as Exhibit EFCC 1 and EFCC 2 respectively,”
he said.
Dauda told the court that all effort made to invite the major
depositor, Lucy Otubo, has proved abortive.
He said available intelligence report suggested that Otubo had
relocated to Turkey and frequently carried out transactions on
these accounts.
The counsel said the the commission had been making efforts to
ensure that the fleeing suspect was tracked and possibly deported
back to Nigeria to aid further investigation but efforts so far
made had not yielded positive results.
He, therefore, told Justice Taiwo that it had become imperative
for the EFCC to apply for a freezing order and an order of interim
forfeiture in order to prevent the suspect from making withdrawals
from the listed accounts.
He argued that investigation had not been concluded due to the
absence of the principal suspect directly linked to the suspicious
transactions who was still at large.
Dauda urged the judge to grant the commission an order to freeze
Oluyemi’s accounts for a six-month period.
”We seek an order of this Honourable court granting the chairman
of the commission or any officer authorise by him power to instruct
a bank examiner to issue an order as specified in Form B of the
schedule to the EFCC Act 2004 to bank managers of banks or any
person having accounts shown hereunder for six months pending the
completion of investigation and possible arraignment,” he said.
Justice Taiwo, however, held that granting a six-month period
for freezing the accounts would be too long.
The judge, who ordered that the two bank accounts be frozen for
40 days pending the conclusion of the commission’s investigation,
said the owner of the accounts must be put on notice through his
banks on the freezing order within 14 days.
He also held that the commission could seek for extension of the
days if it was yet to conclude its investigation based on the order
of the court.
The judge then adjourned till Oct. 4 for further hearing.
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Sheikh zakzaky in plane toIndia
Following lack of breakthrough in the impasse that ensued in the
treatment in New Delhi of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, it is now
confirmed that the Sheikh is on his way back to Abuja,
Nigeria.PRNigeria[1] gathered that Sheikh
Zakzaky and his entourage departed New Delhi in a commercial
airline at 5pm Nigerian time today.In a video message sent through
his office, the Sheikh said it was decided that they would be flown
back to Nigeria.
He prayed that may that be the best option in the
circumstances.
A top member of of Islamic Human Right Commission (IHRC) which
negoatiated the medical treatment in India said that the Nigerian
government’s interference and scuttling of the whole process rather
than supervision as ordered by the court is the direct cause of the
impasse.