Court Freezes Lawyer's Account Over Alleged N40m Fraud

Court Freezes Lawyer's Account Over Alleged N40m Fraud

Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday placed a no debit order on the account of a Lagos-based lawyer, Laitan Fawehinmi, over alleged N40 million fraud.

The judge ordered the freezing of the account number 0001172227 domiciled with Standard Chartered Bank, while ruling on an ex-parte application marked FHC/L/CS/1920/17, filed against the lawyer by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The anti-graft agency had through its lawyer, Murtala Usman, prayed the court for an order empowering its executive chairman or any of its officers to instruct the Managing Director of Standard Chartered Bank, to freeze the lawyer's account pending the conclusion of investigations on the alleged fraud.

The commission in an affidavit in support of the originating summons, deposed to by one of its investigator, Abdulrahman Ajigbotosho, stated that its team, Land Property Fraud Unit (LPFU), received a petition dated October 18, 2017 from Emollient Law Practice, on behalf of K-Solaring Investiment Limited against the defendant.

Ajigbotosho also averred that in the said petition, the lawyer was alleged to have fraudulently obtained the sum of N40 million from K-Solaring Investiment Limited, under the pretence of having authority and mandate to sell a plot of land, lying and situated at Abijo, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos state.

He stated that relying on the lawyer's representation, the complainant forwarded the sum of N40 million on April 25, 2017, to the law firm of Laitan Fawehinmi and Co., in accordance with the instruction of the defendant.

The deponent further stated that, after the money had been paid, the defendant failed to put the complainant in possession of the said property. And upon conducting due diligence, it was discovered that the property is subject to serious dispute, and the defendant is not the director in the company of Crown Investment, yet he executed the document.

The investigator also stated that at the commencement of investigation, it was discovered that the account number in the scheduled was traced to the lawyer, who was the recipient of the money allegedly obtained under false pretence. 

The deponent therefore urged the court to grant the application, pending the conclusion of the investigation by his Commission on the allegation.

After listening to the application, Justice Buba, ordered the Managing Director of Standard Chartered Bank in interim freeze account number 0001172227, with account name Laitan Fawehinmi, pending the conclusion of investigations on the alleged fraud.