Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court, Lagos has ordered Shell Western Supply & Trading Limited to pay to the account of court’s Deputy Chief Registrar the sum of $4.6 million, which the firm kept for Amni International Petroleum Development Company Limited.

Justice Aluko directed the Deputy Chief Registrar to pay the sums admitted by Amni – $3,571,637.68 and N271,138,207.57 – and entered as judgment, directly to its creditor, SpringRock Energy Limited, in the bank account nominated by them within five days.

The order followed applications by SpringRock, through its team of counsel, led by Olumide Aju (SAN) and counter arguments by the defendants’ lawyer, Olumide Sofowora (SAN).

The court made the order along with others on October 28 in a judgment in suit: FHC/L/CS/1290/22 filed by SpringRock Energy Limited and SpringRock Energy Limited Mauritius as first and second plaintiffs/applicants.

The defendants/respondents are Amni and Amni International Petroleum Development Company 52 Limited and five Mareva parties, comprising Shell and four banks.

The court also granted the plaintiffs/applicants three other reliefs.

In all, the court decided three applications – two of them by SpringRock – and the third by Amni.

The court refused Amni’s application of August 17, 2022 praying it to dismiss the Interim Mareva Order. It awarded costs and ruled in favour of SpringRock.

The court granted SpringRock’s application of July 5, 2022 seeking a grant of Mareva orders against Amni and all prayers contained in the application.

On the application of SpringRock dated October 6, 2022 praying the court to enter judgment on the sum already admitted by Amni in the claim, Justice Aluko granted the application as prayed.

The court also held that the banks would be discharged from the Mareva order, only after Shell has fully complied with ruling of the court.

By the judgment, SpringRock is entitled to the sum admitted by Amni, while the outstanding sum in the claim will remain in the account of the court pending Amni and SpringRock clarifying and agreeing on the actual disputed invoices that Amni raised

Justice Aluko, subsequently, adjourned till December 12, 2022 for parties to report on reconciliation exercise to be carried out over the outstanding sum still in dispute.