Alleged fraud: Court freezes four Jaiz bank accounts linked to ex-NNPCL boss, Mele Kyari

Kyari

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the temporary freezing of four Jaiz Bank accounts linked to the immediate-past Group Managing Director, GMD, of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, Mr Mele Kyari, over alleged fraud.

The trial Judge, Justice Emeka Nwite made the order, yesterday after counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, moved an ex-parte motion to the effect.

EFCC had told the court that investigations were ongoing on the matter and that the commission would need sometime to conclude its findings.

The judge, in his ruling held that, the application was meritorious and accordingly granted.

The judge said: “I have listened to counsel to 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.”

The court adjourned the matter till September 23, for report.

The EFCC had, in the motion ex-parte marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1641, filed on August 11, sought an order freezing the bank accounts stated in the schedule on the grounds that 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.”

The accounts include: 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. Fnd and Jaiz Bank number: 0018575141 with account name: Guwori Community Development Foundation Flood Relief.

The anti-graft agency argued that the bank accounts in respect of which the reliefs are sought are subject matters of investigation by the Commission in relation to misappropriation of funds and criminal breach of trust.