The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered the temporary freezing of four Jaiz Bank accounts linked to Mr Mele Kyari, the immediate-past Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), over allegations bordering on fraud.
Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s lawyer, Ogechi Ujam, moved an ex parte motion.
Ujam told the court that investigations were 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 for 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 a report.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the EFCC sought an order in the motion ex parte marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1641, dated August 8, but filed August 11.
The commission prayed the court for an order freezing the bank accounts stated in the schedule.
It said the accounts are owned by the suspect (Kyari), “who is currently being investigated in a case involving the offences of conspiracy, abuse of office and money laundering pending the conclusion of the investigation.”
These include Jaiz Bank account number 0017922724, with account name Mele Kyari; Jaiz Bank account number 0018575055, with account name Guwori Community Dev. Fnd; 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.
It argued that the bank accounts for which the reliefs are sought are the subject of investigation by the commission for misappropriation of funds and criminal breach of trust.
It also said that the preliminary investigation conducted thus far revealed that the bank accounts are linked to the suspect, who took advantage of the complainant to be a contract facilitator and launder proceeds of unlawful activities.
“There is a need to preserve the funds in the identified bank accounts pending the conclusion of the investigation and possible prosecution,” it added.
In the affidavit attached to the motion, Amin Abdullahi, an EFCC investigator attached to the Special Investigation (SIS) Unit, said the agency received a petition filed by the Guardian of Democracy and Rule of Law against Kyari on April 24.
He said he was a team member assigned to investigate the matter.
“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.
The investigator said it also included seeking and receiving corporate details from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) regarding the corporate bodies featured in the case, inviting and interviewing representatives of companies and persons who featured in the investigation, and other activities.
Abdullahi said the investigation so far carried out revealed the following:
“That N661,464,601.50 (Six Hundred and Sixty One Million, Four Hundred and Sixty One Thousand, Five Hundred and Fifty), which are suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, were housed in four different accounts.
These funds were traced to the suspect, Mele Kolo Kyari, the former Group Managing Director (GMD) of the 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.
“The bank records revealed that these accounts are controlled and managed by Mr Kyari through his family members, who act as fronts.
“Further investigation revealed that the transactions in the various accounts were disguised as payments for a purported book launch and activities of a non-governmental organisation (NGO).
“The Commission has written to Jaiz Bank, where the accounts 4 referred to are domiciled, for the hard copies of the comprehensive account details. While the Banks’ responses are being awaited, the Commission has written to post a no debit instruction on the accounts, which will only last 72 hours.
“That M.A Babatunde Esq informed me, 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 the investigation is ongoing.
“That it is in the interest of justice to grant this application,” the official deposed. (NAN)
