N175.3m Forex fraud: Court freezes firms’ account
Justice Chuka Obiozor of a Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, on Thursday, ordered that 23 banks’ accounts domiciled with eight banks, belonging to some companies and individuals be frozen pending the conclusion of investigation on the accounts.
Some of these banks, which housed the 23 accounts including: Diamond Bank Plc, Skye Bank Plc, First City Monument Bank Plc (FCMB), and five others.
The Judge 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 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.
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.
Also among the respondents 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.
Others are: Olateru Moses Olujimi, Alhassan Shuaibu Ibrahim, Adesanya Adeniyi Peter, Igboegwu Emeka Dominic, Ado Shuaibu Dandasundu, Musbau Abidemi, and Ali Mohammed.
The Judge,who granted the application after listening to the submission of the anti graft agency 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 why the order should not be made absolute.
Meanwhile the matter has been adjourned till December 15.
The EFCC in an affidavit of urgency deposed to by its investigator, asked the court to grant the application.
In the affidavit, Boniface Uzoechi, stated that on July 6, 2017, his 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). 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.
Peter Fowoyo
