From: Lukman Olabiyi
Justice Abdulaziz Anka of the Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos will, on April 12 , rule on Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN)’s application seeking to unfreeze his account.
Ozekhome’s Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) account, with a cash balance of N75 million, was on February 7, frozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the order of Justice Anka.
The judge fixed the date, On Wednesday, after hearing arguments on whether or not to unfreeze the account from EFCC’s counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo and Ozekhome.
Justifying its action to freeze Ozekhome’s account, EFCC alleged that the money, which was paid to Ozekhome as legal fee by the Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, was part of the N2.26 billion arms procurement fund, which a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.) allegedly looted.
The EFCC claimed to have traced N1.22 billion out of the N2.26 billion Dasuki loot to Fayose.
The anti-graft agency claimed that Dasuki routed the money to Fayose through a former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro.
But Ozekhome in his attempt to unfreeze his account, argued that the EFCC suppressed facts to obtain the freezing order and urged Justice Anka to lift the freezing order.
The SAN contended that the action of the EFCC was unconstitutional, had no legal justification, and was a gross violation of sections 36, 37 and 41 of the 1999 Constitution.