Big blow for EFCC as court orders agency to return N9bn to former bank director
- The sum of N9 billion seized from Dauda Lawal by EFCC should be returned to the former director according to a court ruling
- The order was granted by a five-man panel led by Justice Muhammad Lawal Garba on Friday, March 12
- EFCC had brought Lawal before the court on charges of money laundering and obtaining monies suspected to be proceeds of crime
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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was dealt a huge blow as the Supreme Court ordered the anti-graft agency to release the sum of N9 billion it seized to Dauda Lawal, a former bank executive director.
Premium Times reports that a unanimous judgement was delivered on Friday, March 12, by a five-man panel, led by Justice Muhammad Lawal Garba.
According to the ruling, Justice Garba dismissed the appeal filed by the EFCC against the judgement of the Court of Appeal.
Source: Twitter
The judge also set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court that initially ordered the final forfeiture of the money back in 2017.
The anti-corruption agency had accused Lawal of money laundering and obtaining monies suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the Federal High Court, Abuja, ordered a stay of proceeding in the ongoing trial of the former Head of Service, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Its, and others.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo, in his ruling, described the EFCC's act in obtaining an exparte order for the freezing of bank accounts of the 4th, 5th, and 6th defendants in the matter before another court as “an abuse of court process.”
In a related development, about fifty-seven cyber fraud suspects have been arrested by officials of EFCC at four hotel hideouts in Ilaro, Ogun state.
This was disclosed by EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren. He said the suspects were arrested in Yewa Frontier Hotel & Resort, Ellysam Hotel & Suits, April Suits and IBD International Hotels.
The suspects were involved in a range of cyber crimes, from love scams on numerous dating sites to obtaining money by false pretences.
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Oluwatobi Bolashodun is a Legit.ng journalist with six years of working experience in the media industry. She graduated from Babcock University in 2012 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication. Oluwatobi is a Current Affairs Editor, mostly writing on political, educational, and business topics. She uses her team spirit to encourage others to work hard.
Source: Legit.ng
