Court Bars CBN, Zenith Bank From Paying Out Fraudulent Funds
In a bid to ensure that sum of N6.5 million, which was alleged to have been fraudulently obtained by one Mr. Gabriel Boluwaji Olanrenwaju, is secured and untampered with, the men of Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID) Alagbon, Ikoyi-Lagos, has obtained an order stopping the Central Bank of Nigeria, Zenith Bank Plc and Haggai Mortgage Bank, from releasing the money to the said alleged fraudster.
Justice Chuka Austin Obiozor, issued the order to the banks, after listened to Barrister A. Ilyas, counsel to the police who moved and argued an exparte application together with supporting affidavit for the order.
In urging the court to grant the order, Ilyas, told the court that the application which was pursuant to section 7 of the Bankers Order Act 1847, sections 3 and 31 of the Police Act Cap. P19, laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2020, is to secure the money which is currently domiciled in Haggai Mortgage Bank and Zenith Bank Plc with account numbers 0110400125 and 1003019875 respectively.
On the grounds for the order, Barrister Ilyas told the court that both Haggai Mortgage Bank and Zenith Bank’s accounts belonging to Mr. Olanrenwaju, was allegedly used to fraudulently obtained the sum of N6. 550 000, from Dr. Ronke Ade, under the pretence of buying a house for her at the Redemption Camp, Ogun State.
He told the court that upon paying the money into the two accounts, the said Mr. Olanrenwaju, the accounts’ holder, who is unknown, started withdrawing the money on instalment basis.
He told the court that the order sought for if not granted, the police will not be able to trace, track and arrest the account holder and his cohorts.
Upon listened to police counsel’s submission, Justice Obiozor ordered that a lien should be placed on the two accounts domicile with Haggai Mortgage Bank and Zenith Bank Plc.
Justice Obiozor also ordered Central Bank Plc, to avail the police with all the bank account numbers linked with BVN number under the account numbers 0110400125 and 1003019875 with Haggai Mortgage Bank and Zenith Bank Plc respectively.
The judge has adjourned further hearing on the order till March 15.
The police in an affidavit deposed to by one of its investigators, Inspector Sunday Joel, stated that a petition dated December 22, 2020, containing allegation of obtaining money by false pretence from one Dr. Ronke Ade, was sent to his team by the G. C. Nwobodo and Company, for an investigation into the alleged fraud.
The depose stated that by the strength of the petition, the nominal complainant, Dr. Ronke, was contacted and made useful statement. Adding that during investigation he and other members of the team, visited the bank to enable them get the information of the account holders and stop Withdrawal of the money instalmentally by the fraudsters, but the bank refused and advised them to obtain an order from a competent court.
The deponent stated further that they will not be able to trace the account holders unless through information contained in his document with the bank and that during their investigation, they recovered copies of the statement of account of the nominal complainant and the transaction receipt between the suspected Fraudsters and the complainant.
He averred that they equally discovered that the fraudsters are are still using the said account to dupe innocent citizens. And that placing of post no debt/lien on the said accounts, will help them precisely to identify the culprits, their addresses, arrest and possibly prosecute him or her in the Law court.
He stated that it will be in the general interest not only to the applicant but for the society at large, if the application is granted. And that the respondent will not in anyway prejudice if the application is granted.
