Appeal Court gives EFCC permission to freeze Fayose’s account

A Court of Appeal in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the go-ahead to freeze the bank account of Ayo Fayose, governor of the state.

Justice J.S. Ikeyegha, who read the ruling of the three-man panel, directed the freezing of Mr Fayose’s Zenith Bank account.

It will be recalled that Justice Taiwo Taiwo of a Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti ,had in December 2016 ordered the EFCC to defreeze the bank accounts frozen as a result of investigations into the money in the account, which were believed to be proceeds of illegal activities.

The EFCC, dissatisfied with the ruling had approached the appellate court to set aside the ruling of the lower court. 

The agency had argued that the order contradicted that of Justice M.B. Idris of a Federal High Court in Lagos, which gave the commission the legal backing to freeze the accounts until investigations were concluded.

The appellate court has now ruled in the favour of the EFCC.