March 15 fixed to hear EFCC’s suit opposing unfreezing of Ozekhome’s account

A Federal High Court, Lagos on Tuesday fixed March 15 for hearing of the application filed by Chief Mike Ozekhome to unfreeze his account. It would be recalled that Ozekhome’s GTB account with a balance of N75m, was, on February 7, frozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the order of Justice Abdulafiz Anka.

EFCC had alleged that the money, which was paid to Ozekhome as legal fees by the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, was part of the N2.26bn arms procurement fund, which a former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (retd), allegedly looted.

The EFCC claimed to have traced N1.22bn out of the N2.26bn Dasuki loot to Fayose.The anti-graft agency claimed that Dasuki routed the money to Fayose through a former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro.But Ozekhome in his attempt to unfreeze his account, had approached the court stating that the EFCC suppressed facts to obtain the freezing order and urged Justice Anka to lift the freezing order.

The SAN had contended that the action of the EFCC was unconstitutional, had no legal justification, and was a gross violation of sections 36, 37 and 41 of the 1999 Constitution.EFCC, in the counter affidavit deposed to by one of its prosecutors, Idris Mohammed, pointed out that though it had earlier secured an interim order from Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos to freeze Fayose’s account, the governor, through Ozekhome, went before Justice Taiwo of the Ado Ekiti Division of the Federal High Court to obtain an order to unfreeze the account.

The EFCC urged Justice Anka not to unfreeze Ozekhome’s account.At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, EFCC, prayed the court for more time to further reply Ozekhome’s application.
Justice Anka after hearing both parties argument on the issue, adjourned till Marc h 15, for hearing.