Court freezes N661m found in Mele Kyari’s four bank accounts to facilitate investigation of fraud allegation
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
A court has ordered a temporary freeze on four accounts in Jaiz Bank belonging to former Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Group Managing Director (GMD), Mele Kyari, over alleged fraud during his tenure.
Judge Emeka Nwite of the Abuja Federal High Court made the order in his ruling on an ex parte motion filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), argued by its lawyer, Ogechi Ujam.
The EFCC urged the court to freeze the accounts for 60 days to enable it conclude investigation but Nwite limited the tenure of the order to 30 days which he said could be renewed if necessary.
Ujam told the court that the temporary freezing order pending conclusion of investigation was necessary because the accounts are being investigated in a case of alleged conspiracy, abuse of office, and money laundering allegedly involving Kyari.
He listed the four account numbers in Jaiz Bank as:
- 0017922724 with account name Mele Kyari.
- 0017922724 (account name Mele Kyari).
- 0018575055 (account name Guwori Community Development Fund).
- 0018575141 (account name Guwori Community Development Foundation Flood Relief).
The graft burster based its motion on three grounds – the bank accounts are subject matters of ongoing investigation concerning alleged misappropriation of funds and criminal breach of trust.
It said:
- Its preliminary investigation revealed that the bank accounts are linked to Kyari, who allegedly took advantage of the complainant to be a contract facilitator and launderer of proceeds of unlawful activities.
- There is need to preserve the funds in the identified bank accounts pending the conclusion of investigation and possible prosecution.
- In a supporting affidavit, officials of its Special Investigations Section (SIS) unit received a petition, dated April 24, and filed by a group, the Guardian of Democracy and Rule of Law, against Kyari.
- Investigation so far revealed, among others, “that N661,464,601.50, suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, warehoused in four different accounts.
“These funds were traced to the suspect, Mele Kolo Kyari, who is the former Group Managing Director (GMD) of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the EFCC deposed in the affidavit.
“The suspect opened various accounts in Jaiz Bank, which has been used to receive suspicious inflows from NNPC and various oil companies that have dealings with NNPC.
“Bank records revealed that these accounts are controlled and managed by Mr. Kyari through his family members who are acting as fronts.”
Nwite ruled that: “I have listened to counsel to the applicant and gone through the affidavit evidence with the exhibits and the written address attached.
“I find that this application is meritorious and it is hereby granted as prayed.”
The Judge adjourned the case until September 23 for the EFCC to report on further developments.
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