Kemisola Oye
JUSTICE Akintayo Aluko of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered an interim forfeiture of the sums of N190,277,634.2 million and 70,811,48USD, allegedly stolen from the First Bank of Nigeria, by one of its staff, Muiz Tijani Adeyinka, to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The judge’s order was sequel to a Motion Ex Parte filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offence Act No. 14, 2016, and Section 44 (2)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The judge also ordered that the publication of the interim forfeiture order in any national newspaper, for anyone interested in the monies to appear before the court and show cause within 14 days why the final order of forfeiture of the said monies should not be made.
Counsel to the anti-graft agency, Mr. C. C. Okezie, told the court that the motion was supported with a written address and a 21-paragraph affidavit, deposed to by one Michael John Idoko, an Investigator with the Commission.
In the affidavit, the deponent stated, “The Commission, on 26 March 2024, received a petition from First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) alleging fraudulent transactions in various bank accounts within and outside FBN. And that investigation revealed that Muiz Tijani Adeyinka (MTA) was a staff of FBN.
“That he is attached to the Settlement Office of the bank and by virtue of his office could carry out some inalienable access available only to the Settlement Office. And that the said Muiz Tijani Adeyinka manipulated the settlement accounts by creating fictitious domiciliary inflows, and he immediately transferred the naira equivalent to himself and his cronies.”
The deponent also stated that investigation revealed that the sum of N35 billion was traced to Adeyinka being a beneficiary and his cronies.
“In a bid to conceal and disguise the said fraudulent proceeds, he launders the same by purchasing US dollars and USDT. And that the said proceeds were traced to his personal dollar account and crypto wallet accounts.
“Muiz Tijani Adeyinka, in a bid to launder the funds incorporated a company, Golden Sieve Motors Limited. He used the fraudulent proceeds to purchase and import exotic vehicles and warehoused them under the company and car stand Golden Sieve Motors Limited.
“That part of the unsold exotic vehicles were recovered in the course of investigation. A total number of 28 vehicles were recovered by the applicant at the car stand, Golden Sieve Motors Limited. A forfeiture order on the said vehicles was sought and granted by Honourable Justice A. Faji.
“Investigation also revealed that MTA maintains 62 different bank accounts while his syndicates, Mafiotan Oladipupo Olumuyiwa, the MD/CEO of Molafax Limited, Anwuli Daniel Chukwuebuka, MD/CEO of Danhypro Services Ltd and Chimebere Igboecheonwu maintains 30, 59 and 17 different accounts respectively with several banks.
“Furthermore, Muiz Tijani Adeyinka transferred these monies directly from the FBN Settlement’s Account to his syndicate accounts with details: Molafax Limited FBN account no. 2042463159, Danhypro Services Limited FBN account no. 2042517375 as well as Clinton Chimebere Igboecheonwu FBN account no. 3159854377. And that the narrations of these transactions usually reads; Unified Payments, IC Markets, Bamboo, Riseves Trade, Chaka and Flutterwave.”
The deponent further states that: “based on the findings from our investigation, the funds fraudulently obtained by Adeyinka, in the course of his official activities as a Settlement Officer in FBN and been sought to be forfeited to the Federal Government in favour of First Bank of Nigeria Plc, are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities and are not proceeds of any of legitimate business venture.
“That the funds ought to be forfeited so that the suspects would not benefit from proceeds of their unlawful activity. And that it is in the interest of justice to grant this application.”
However, after listening to his submission, Justice Aluko held that “I have considered the application. I have examined the affidavit in support of the written address and the exhibits attached. The application has merit and same is hereby granted.”
The judge subsequently adjourned to 9 October 2024 for further hearing.
Eighteen-Eleven Media