The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered the temporary freezing of four Jaiz Bank accounts linked to the immediate-past Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr Mele Kyari, over allegations bordering on fraud.
Justice Emeka Nwite made the order after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s lawyer, Ogechi Ujam, moved an ex-parte motion to that effect.
Ujam told the court that investigations were still ongoing and that the commission would need some time to conclude its findings.
Justice Nwite, therefore, held that the application was meritorious and accordingly granted.
“I have listened to counsel to the applicant and gone through the affidavit evidence with the exhibits and written address attached. I found that this application is meritorious and it is hereby granted as prayed,” he said.
The judge adjourned the matter until September 23 for report.
The EFCC had, in the motion ex-parte marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1641, dated August 8 but filed August 11, sought an order freezing the bank accounts listed in the schedule.
According to the commission, the accounts belong to Kyari, “who is currently being investigated in a case involving conspiracy, abuse of office and money laundering, pending the conclusion of the investigation.”
The affected accounts include: Jaiz Bank account number 0017922724 with account name: Mele Kyari; Jaiz Bank account number 0018575055 with account name: Guwori Community Development Foundation; and Jaiz Bank account number 0018575141 with account name: Guwori Community Development Foundation Flood Relief.
The anti-graft agency said the application was brought on three grounds, arguing that the bank accounts under investigation were linked to misappropriation of funds and criminal breach of trust.
It added that preliminary investigation revealed that the accounts were linked to Kyari, who allegedly took advantage of the complainant as a contract facilitator and laundered proceeds of unlawful activities.
“That there is need to preserve the funds in the identified bank accounts pending the conclusion of investigation and possible prosecution,” the EFCC stated.
In an affidavit attached to the motion, Amin Abdullahi, an EFCC investigator attached to the Special Investigation (SIS) Unit, said the agency received a petition dated April 24 from the Guardian of Democracy and Rule of Law against Kyari.
He said he was part of the team assigned to investigate the matter.
“That upon receipt of the petition referred to in Paragraph 4 above, my team carried out several investigation activities which included seeking and obtaining bank records from commercial banks,” he said.
Abdullahi said the probe also involved obtaining corporate details from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) concerning bodies linked to the case, as well as inviting and interviewing individuals and company representatives.
The investigator revealed that about ₦661,464,601.50 suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities were traced to four different accounts.
He added that the funds were traced to Kyari, who allegedly opened multiple accounts in Jaiz Bank used to receive suspicious inflows from the NNPC and various oil companies.
According to him, records further revealed that the accounts were controlled by Kyari through family members acting as fronts.
“Further investigation revealed that the said transactions in the various accounts were disguised as payments for a purported book launch and activities of a non-governmental organisation (NGO).
“That the Commission has written to Jaiz Bank where the accounts referred to are domiciled for the hard copies of the comprehensive account details. While responses of the banks are being awaited, the Commission has written to post a no-debit instruction on the accounts which will only last for 72 hours.
“That I was informed by M.A Babatunde Esq., learned counsel to the Applicant during official briefing at EFCC Headquarters, and I verily believe him that an order of this honourable court is necessary to freeze the said accounts clearly described in Schedule 1 to the Motion paper while investigation is ongoing.
“That it is in the interest of justice to grant this application,” the official deposed.
