The Federal High Court sitting, Lagos, has ordered the and £35,070 recovered from one Muiz Adeyinka, a former employee of First Bank of Nigeria to the federal government
Justice A.O. Owoeye gave the order following a motion on notice for the final forfeiture order, which was supported with an affidavit deposed to by Isah Nadabo, an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
TheHintsNews reports that the judge hadon November 27, 2024, ordered the interim forfeiture of the funds and also ordered the publication of the order in a national newspaper for any interested party to show cause why the various sums of money should not be finally forfeited to the federal government.
Moving the application for the final forfeiture on Monday, counsel to the EFCC, Zeenat Atiku, stated that the Commission, on March 26, 2024, received a petition from First Bank alleging fraudulent transactions in various bank accounts within and outside First Bank of Nigeria Plc.
She said: “Investigation revealed that Muiz Tijani Adeyinka, who is the principal suspect, is a former staff of First Bank Nigeria Plc. He is also the MD/CEO of Golden Sieve Logistics Ltd, Golden Sieve Properties Ltd., and Golden Sieve Motors Ltd., which are all duly incorporated with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC.
“He was attached to the Settlement Office of the bank and by virtue of his office, he had some inalienable access available only to the Settlement Office.”
“Adeyinka manipulated the settlement accounts by creating fictitious domiciliary inflows , with which he immediately transferred the Naira equivalent to himself and his cronies.
“In a bid to conceal and disguise the said fraudulent proceeds derived, he laundered the same by purchasing US Dollars and USDT.
“The said proceeds were traced to his personal dollar account and crypto wallet accounts.”
Atiku further submitted that the interim forfeiture order was published in The Punch newspaper of December 5, 2024 in compliance with the directive of the court.
After listening to the EFCC’s counsel, Justice Owoeye granted the application as prayed.