Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Lagos has vacated the ‘lien/Post No Debit’ order placed on three accounts of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.
Justice Oweibo lifted the order after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) withdrew a money laundering suit instituted against Obasa in 2020.
Apart from the lifting of the No Debit order on the three accounts domiciled in Standard Chartered bank, the judge also set aside the Ex-parte Orders granted on September 15, 2020, which led to the freezing of the accounts.
The court had temporarily frozen the accounts following an Ex-parte motion marked FHC/LCS/1064/2020, filed by the EFCC.
Obasa’s accounts frozen by the court were: (US Dollars) 0001852063; (Current) 0001852056 and (Saving) 5002309624.
Justice Oweibo, on August 16, 2023, had heard the application to unfreeze the accounts in his Chamber.
During the hearing of the matter, the EFCC was represented by one of its lawyers, Sulaiman I. Sulaiman, while the Speaker was represented by Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN).
Sulaiman had informed the judge that the application to unfreeze the accounts was pursuant to Section 44(2)(K) of the Constitution of The Federal Republic of NIGERIA, 1999 (as amended) and Sections 26, 29 and 34 (1) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004, and under the court’s inherent jurisdiction.
Justice Oweibo after taking arguments from counsel, held that: “Upon reading through the affidavit in support of Motion on Notice and with the Exhibits attached therein, deposed to by Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, Male, Nigerian, Adult, Legislator of Lagos State House of Assembly Complex, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos and a Written Address dated 1st day of August, 2023 and filed at this Court Registry om August 2, 2023.
“And after hearing the submissions of Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN) for the respondent/applicant, who moved in terms of the Motion paper and S. I. Suleiman, Esq, Learned Counsel for the Applicant/Respondent not opposing the application the court after careful consideration of the application and submissions of Counsel hereby ordered that an order is hereby granted to the respondent/applicant setting aside the Ex-parte Orders of this Court made on the 15th day of September, 2020 upon the Ex-parte Motion of the Applicant/ Respondent in relation the funds of the Respondent/Applicant domiciled in the accounts stated in the following schedule: ‘’