The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been ordered by the Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti Tuesday, December 13, to “defreeze Governor Ayodele Fayose’s accounts in Zenith Bank with immediate effect.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo held that the anti-graft agency did not follow due process in taking such an action.
The judge described EFCC’s action as illegal, wrongful, unlawful and unconstitutional.
“I hereby give a mandatory order directing the Respondents jointly or severally to immediately de-freeze, unblock and make operational both accounts belonging to the Applicant,” Taiwo said.
The judge said EFCC’s action breached the governor’s fundamental rights to fair hearing, as the commission did not make him a party to the proceedings for the interim freezing of the account.
He said that the EFCC suppressed facts by not disclosing to the court that granted the interim freezing order that the two accounts that were frozen belonged to Governor who enjoys total constitutional immunity.
About 5 months ago, the anti-graft agency froze the personal accounts of Ekiti state governor.
Fayose described the action as illegal and while citing section 308 of the 1999 constitution, stating that the federal government should fight corruption within the ambit of the law, since he enjoys immunity as a sitting governor.
EFCC said the immunity does not stop the commission from investigating suspicious account belonging to any governor.
Breaking: EFCC ordered to defreeze Fayose’s bank accounts
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