Court asks EFCC to freeze 67 accounts linked to alleged internet fraud

A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) permission to freeze 67 bank accounts held in various banks due to an alleged fraud of N52.9 million.

Justice Emeka Nwite approved the request after Martha Babatunde, the EFCC’s lawyer, presented an ex-parte motion.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the ex-parte motion, labeled FHC/ABJ/CS/1895/V/2024, was filed by Miracle Anameze.

The motion requested the court to empower the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, or any officer designated by him, to instruct the managing directors of the banks to halt all outward payments, operations, or transactions (including any bills of exchange) related to the specified bank accounts until the investigation is concluded.

During the hearing, the anti-graft lawyer informed the court that the application was dated December 16 and filed on December 17.

“Our motion prays for an order of this honourable court freezing the bank accounts as stated in the scheduled attached

“There are three grounds attached,” she said.

Babatunde urged the court to grant the application.

Justice Nwite then asked the lawyer for how long will the investigation take and she said 90 days.

The judge, who held that the application was meritorious, granted the prayer.

He adjourned the matter until March 24 for mention.

NAN reports that in the three grounds of argument, the lawyer said the court was empowered to grant reliefs sought.

She said the bank accounts in respect of which the order was sought contained proceeds of crime and there is need to prevent the dissipation of the funds.

She said the accounts in respect of which the reliefs were sought were subject matter of investigation by the EFCC.

In the affidavit deposed to by Ikenna Chukwueze, an investigator attached to the EFCC’s Procurement Fraud Section, the officer said he was part of the team assigned to investigate the matter.

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He said the commission received a criminal petition on Oct. 17, 2023, accompanied with the statement of account of Advance Development Services Engineering Limited (ADSEL) and signed by one Barr. Nnamdi Micheal Ogobuchi on behalf of ADSEL and Mr Dollah Kingsley Nnamdi against Taiwo Abubakar Oluwajuwon and Heasy Enterprises.

He said the petition alleged the offence of internet related fraud, conspiracy and unauthorised withdrawal involving the sum of N52,99 1,000.00 (fifty two million, nine hundred and ninety-one thousand naira.”

Chukwueze said the team commenced a discreet and thorough investigation into the matter to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of the petition.

According to him, the preliminary investigation conducted revealed that the petitioner operates a corporate naira account no 10277491959 with VFD Microfinance Bank.

He said on Oct. 16, 2023, the petitioner’s corporate account was compromised wherein the sum of N50 million was withdrawn from the account in fast succession to an account domiciled with Moniepoint Microfinance Bank with account name, Heasy Enterprises; 8220378843 owned by Oluwajuwon.

“Flowing from the details of investigation above, the applicant (EFCC) quickly wrote letter of investigation activities to Moniepoint Microfinance Bank requesting for the statement of account of Heasy Enterprises with account no 8220378843 belonging to one Abubakar Taiwo Oluwajuwon.

“The statement of account of Heasy Enterprises confirming the receipt of the said sum of N50, 000,000 (fifty million naira) is hereby attached and marked as exhibit EFCC 2.

“Upon analysis of exhibit EFCC 2, it was discovered that the suspect Taiwo Abubakar, the account holder of exhibit EFCC 2, transferred part of the money fraudulently received to different individuals whose names and accounts appears in the schedule attached to the face of this application,” he said.

He said investigation into exhibit EFCC 2 further revealed that Oluwajuwon on receipt of the proceeds of his unlawful act, transferred the sum of N19,990,000 from his business name account (Heasy Enterprises) to one Litano Pro Limited Resources with acct no 6355725703.

“The account statement of one Litano Pro Limited Resources confirming the receipt of the sum is hereby attached and marked as exhibit EFCC 3.

“Further investigation and analysis of exhibit EFCC 2 revealed that the suspect one Abubakar Taiwo, on receipt of the proceeds of his unlawful act transferred the sum of N11,000.00 (eleven million naira) to one Nwezeocha E-N Enterprises with acct no 6342170336.

“The statement of account of Nwezeocha E-N Enterprises is hereby attached and marked as exhibit EFCC 4.

“Further investigation and analysis of exhibit EFCC 2 revealed that the suspect, one Abubakar Taiwo, on receipt of the proceeds of his unlawful act transferred the sum of N11,440,000.00 (eleven million, four hundred and forty thousand naira and N10,000.000 (ten million naira) to one Chigozle Okpala with acct no 6395639693.

“The account statement of Chigozie Okpala is hereby attached and marked as exhibit EFCC 50.

“Further investigation and analysis of exhibit EFCC 2 revealed that the suspect, one Abubakar Talwo transferred the sum of N10,000,000.00 (Ten million naira) to one Chukwudalu Jude Owulu,” he said.

The Investigator said based on the foregoing, a BVN search was conducted on them, which revealed the multiple accounts they maintained as seen in the schedule attached to the application, hence the need for the order to enable the commission conclude investigation.

The officer said the order was necessary to preserve the monies that had been paid into the accounts as contained In the schedule to the application pending the conclusion of investigation.

The 67 accounts are domiciled in Union Bank, Stanbic Bank, GTBank, Wema Bank, OPAY, Zenith Bank, KUDA, UBA, FCMB, Moniepoint, Keystone Bank, Access Bank, Providus Bank, Globus Bank, Polaris Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, TAJ Bank, First Bank, PALMPAY, VFD Microfinance Bank, etc.
(NAN)

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