A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has frozen the bank account of prominent Lagos-based human rights lawyer Mike Ozekhome (SAN). Presiding Judge Ab
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has frozen the bank account of prominent Lagos-based human rights lawyer Mike Ozekhome (SAN). Presiding Judge Abdulaziz Anka ordered the temporary forfeiture of the sum of N75 million found by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in his account domiciled with Guaranty Trust Bank. The ruling follows a motion filed by the EFCC seeking that Ozekhome’s account be temporarily frozen on the ground that the amount lodged in his account on December 15, 2016, was suspected to have been fraudulently obtained.
According to counsel to the anti-graft agency, Rotimi Oyedepo, represented in court by another EFCC lawyer, Mr. Idris Abdulahi Mohammed, the application was brought before the court under section 29 of the EFCC Act. Presenting three exhibits marked Exhibit 01, 02 and 03 in addition to an affidavit of urgency sworn to by an investigator of the agency, Tosin Owobo, Idris prayed the court to grant the application ordering temporary forfeiture of the account for 120 days. Justice Anka duly ordered that Ozekhome’s account with the sum of N75 million be forfeited for 120 days, stating that any party that is not satisfied with the ruling can proceed with an appeal.
