By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
Senior Correspondent
Justice Chuka Obiozor of a Federal High Court Ikoyi, Lagos on Thursday ordere that the 23 bank accounts domiciled in eight banks, and owned by some companies alongside certain individuals be frozen until the conclusion of investigation on the accounts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The order became necesssary following an exparte application brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) through its counsel, Murtala Usman, in suit number FHC/L/CS/1686/17.
Among the financial institutions affected by the other are Diamond Bank Plc, Skye Bank Plc, and First City Monument Bank Plc.
Respondents to the suit are Wale Adekunle, Tosin Affinnih, Edward Williams and Olayinka Loveth.
The EFCC had approached the court seeking an order that would give powers to its Executive Chairman or any other officer(s) 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 investigations.
The affected 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.
Other affected accounts are Calculus and Company, Mass Investment Fund Limited, Domareen Global Services Limited, Mayiwa Williams Samuel, Sodipo Oludare, Soyode Akinlanwon, and Buchi and Seyi Obiefuna, Olateru Moses Olujimi, Alhassan Shuaibu Ibrahim, Adesanya Adeniyi Peter, Igboegwu Emeka Dominic, Ado Shuaibu Dandasundu, Musbau Abidemi, and Ali Mohammed.
Furthermore, Justice Obiozor instructed 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 why the order should not be made absolute.
The judge thereafter adjourned the matter until December 15, 2017.
According to an affidavit and affidavit of urgency brought by its investigator, Boniface Uzoechi, the EFCC, while asking the court to grant the application submitted that on July 6, 2017, it received a petition dated June 5, 2017, from S. D. Ijie and Associates, on behalf of Equitorial Energy Limited, wherein it alleged that there was a case of obtaining money under false pretence and stealing to the tune of N175.3 million.
Uzoechi further contended that the complainant had 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).
Uzoechi explained that the third defendant had a forex to sell at a reasonable price, and it was agreed by both parties that the naira equivalent 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.
It was further contented by Boniface 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.