An Ikoyi High Court of Lagos State, will on February 12, resume hearing of a suit filed by aggrieved investors seeking to recover about N11, 795,090 billion, from bank accounts linked to a couple, Bamise Ajetunmobi, a former staff of Zenith Bank Plc, his wife Elizabeth and their two firms.
The firms are; Imagine Global Holding Company Limited and Imagine Global Solutions Limited.
According to the plaintiffs’ motion, the N11.795 billion is the outstanding investments and Return On Investments (ROI) accruing to them from the defendants.
Justice Toyin Oyekan-Abdullahi who presided over the court, fixed the date when the matter came up last Thursday, sequel to a motion filed and argued by the investors’ counsel Adetunji Adedoyin-Adeniyi of AAA Chambers.
Justice Oyekan-Abdullahi fixed the date to rule on a preliminary objection filed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) challenging an order made against it and commercial banks in the country.
Justice Oyekan-Abdullahi had on November 3, 2021, observed that some banks were yet to comply with the October 24, 2021, order which restrained all commercial banks in Nigeria from releasing funds up to N11, 795, 090 billion to the two firms and the Ajetunmobis.
The judge had also directed the banks to, among others, file and serve on Adedoyin-Adeniyi, within seven days, an affidavit disclosing the balance on the defendants’ accounts.
On November 11, 2021, the court further ordered all commercial banks to furnish it with comprehensive statements of account of both companies and the Ajetunmobi couple.
But at the hearing last Thursday, the CBN filed a preliminary objection, arguing that it could not comply with the order because the court did not have jurisdiction, following which the court adjourned till February 12, 2022 for further hearing.
According to the order made on November 3, the banks are to provide include comprehensive statements of account of the first to fourth defendants from January 1, 2020 till date and all the statements of account linked with BVN: 22168443525 (third Defendant) and BVN:22141952749 (fourth Defendant).
“The ‘Know Your Customer’ (KYC} duly completed forms of all the accounts in the name of the first to fourth defendants from the January 1, 2020 and all the approval and detailed information of all the foreign transactions coupled with the Telex/swift copies of all FX related transfer made by the first to fourth Defendants.
Others include: “the names, phone numbers and all the referees provided by the first to fourth defendants at the point of opening the accounts and all the accounts linked with BVN: 22168443525 (third defendant) and BVN:22141952749 (fourth defendant}.
“An order compelling the CBN to place before the court a verifying affidavit to ascertain the correctness or otherwise of all the entries in the statement of accounts, documentation and details of all transfer of funds and ‘Know Your Customer’ (KYC) forms served on it by the following commercial banks, among others.
“It also includes an order directing seven United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom firms, to furnish before the court and serve on the claimants’ counsel.
The firms are; EMAAR Development P.J.S.C, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Quastel LLP- 54 Bakers Street, London {Jonathan Neilan}; H & S Real Estate, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; The Lagoons Phase 1, LLC Dubai, United Arab Emirates; The ARC {EC ONE}, 225 City Road, London EC1V 1JT, Lewis Assim, London, United Kingdom and Augustine Clement Solicitors – 1, 83 Lewisham High Street, London SE13 5JX.umes
