Court orders banks to unfreeze defendant’s account

An FCT High Court, Maitama, on Monday ordered First Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank and Sterling Bank, to defreeze the accounts of one Ishaq Bashir.

Bashir was charged with alleged swindling of one million dollars from an investment company.

Bashir, alongside his three companies, Leda Green-power Consortium, Leda Green-power Nigeria Ltd and Leda Consortium Ltd, were arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on cheating.

The judge, Justice Sunday Aladetoyinbo, gave the order after Bashir’s counsel, Mr Ben Anachebe (SAN) informed the court that his client did not have access to his account.

“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has completed its investigation that is why the matter is charged to court`,` he said.

Anachebe said that the three banks refused to defreeze his client’s accounts and the EFCC refused to release his international passport since they had granted him an administrative bail

He said his client needed money and his passport to seek for medical attention because he had been ill for some time now.

Reacting, the prosecuting counsel, Mr Rimamsonte Ezekiel, informed the court that he was hearing of this for the first time this morning.
He said the EFCC was not in the habit of doing things without proper documentation.

He said that the order directing the three banks to freeze Bashir’s accounts was given by a competent court and it expired after 60 days, and this happened on Oct. 6 it expired since Dec. 6.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), recalls that the prosecution had alleged that the defendant on March 12, 2013, obtained one million dollars from one Althani Investments Company Ltd by false pretence.

The offence contravened Section 1(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Fraud Related Offences Act, 2005.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the allegation and was granted bail in the sum of N2million with a surety in like sum.
The case was adjourned till May 17 for hearing.