A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered a temporary freezing of four accounts in Jaiz Bank linked to the former Group Chief Executive Officer, GCEO, of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, over alleged fraud.
Justice Emeka Nwite issued the order while ruling on an ex parte motion filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and argued by its lawyer, Ogechi Ujam.
Although the EFCC had urged the court to freeze the accounts for 60 days to enable it to conclude the ongoing investigation, Justice Nwite limited the tenure of the order to 30 days, which he said could be renewed if necessary.
Ujam had told the court that the temporary freezing order was necessary because the accounts were being investigated in a case of conspiracy, abuse of office, and money laundering involving Kyari, pending the conclusion of the investigation.
The lawyer identified the four account numbers in Jaiz Bank as: 0017922724 with account name Mele Kyari; 0017922724 with account name Mele Kyari; 0018575055 with account name Guwori Community Development Fund; and 0018575141 with account name Guwori Community Development Foundation Flood Relief.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite said: “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 till September 23 for the EFCC to report on further developments.
The anti-graft commission predicated its motion on three grounds, to the effect that the bank accounts are subject matters of ongoing investigation by the commission concerning alleged misappropriation of funds and criminal breach of trust.
The EFCC said its preliminary investigation revealed that the bank accounts are linked to the suspect, who took advantage of the complainant to be a contract facilitator and launderer of proceeds of unlawful activities.
According to the commission, there is a need to preserve the funds in the identified bank accounts pending the conclusion of the investigation and possible prosecution.
It stated, in a supporting affidavit, that 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.
The EFCC said its 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 suspect opened various accounts in Jaiz Bank, which have 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.”
