Detained Accountant urges court to lift freezing order on her accounts
A chartered accountant, Ms. Omafume Augustina Ayinuola, has asked the Federal High Court in Lagos to lift the freezing order placed by the police on her bank account over alleged fraud.
Omafume and her mother Lydia Abosede Erhievuyere are facing trial over the alleged stealing of N1.5 billion belonging to the company of Mr Peter Ololo.
When the case came up for hearing on Thursday, counsel to the defendants Olubusola Ashiru told the court that the business of the day was for the hearing of the defendants’ motion seeking to lift the lien placed on the defendants’ accounts and for the release of the properties illegally taken away from them by the police and the nominal complainant, Peter Ololo, the alter ego of the Group of Companies.
Ashiru urged the court to grant an order lifting the lien placed on the defendants’ accounts or unfreeze the various bank accounts that the police have frozen or placed ‘Post No Debit’.
Ashiru also sought an order directing the prosecutor to release all the properties of the defendants taken away by the nominal complainant, Peter Ololo “the estranged lover” from the defendants.
Ashiru said that while the matter was pending before Justice Ogundare, the prosecutor ran to another court to obtain an order to freeze the accounts and placed liens on the defendants’ properties.
However, the prosecutor in his 19 paragraphs counter affidavit filed in opposition to the defendants’ motion, urged the court to dismiss the motion.
Morufu Animasahun, moving the counter affidavit, urged the court to dismiss the application and order an accelerated hearing of the matter.
He said the essence of the freezing order obtained by the prosecution from Justice Ibrahim Ahmad Kala’s court is to preserve the Res.
According to him, there are persistent intelligence reports that the defendants through third parties are making efforts to dissipate the assets bought with the alleged proceeds of crime.
Animasaun said the prosecution has placed sufficient facts and evidence to prove its case against the defendants.
He, therefore, urged the court to dismiss the defendants’ motion and order an accelerated hearing of the matter.
Justice Kehinde Ogundare adjourned the case till July 11 to rule on the defendants’ motion and for definite trial.
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