A Federal High Court in Abuja, has frozen four Jaiz Bank accounts linked to the former Group Managing Director, GMD, of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, Mr. Mele Kyari over an alleged fraud.
The action follows an ex-parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
After listening to counsel for the anti-graft agency, Ms. Ogechi Ujam, who informed the court that the accounts were linked to alleged fraud, Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order.
The anti-graft body told the court that the temporary freezing order became necessary, because the accounts are the subject of an ongoing investigation in a case involving offences of conspiracy, abuse of office, and money laundering.
The EFCC listed the accounts as Jaiz Bank account number: 0017922724 with account name: Mele Kyari; Jaiz Bank account number: 0017922724 with account name: Mele Kyari; Jaiz Bank account number: 0018575055 with account name: Guwori Community Dev. and Jaiz Bank account number: 0018575141 with account name: Guwori Community Development Foundation Flood Relief.
“I have listened to counsel to the applicant and gone through the affidavit evidence with the exhibits and written address attached.I find that this application is meritorious and it is hereby granted as prayed,” Justice Nwite ruled on tht ex parte application.
He adjourned the matter until September 23 for the EFCC to report on further developments.
In an affidavit it attached in support of the application, the EFCC said that its preliminary investigation revealed the bank accounts were linked to the proceeds of crime.
There was a need to preserve the funds pending the conclusion of the investigation and possible prosecution of those found culpable, it explained.
It added that officials of its Special Investigations (SIS) unit received a petition dated April 24, filed by a group known as the Guardian of Democracy and Rule of Law, against the former NNPCL boss.
It said:”So far, revealed, among others, “that N661,464,601.50, which are 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.
“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).
“The commission (EFCC) has written to Jaiz Bank, where the four 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.
“An order of this honourable court is necessary to freeze the said accounts clearly described in schedule 1 to the Motion paper for while investigation is ongoing.”