Corruption: Appeal Court gives EFCC go-ahead to freeze Fayose’s account

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

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

Recall that Justice Taiwo Taiwo of  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.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, EFCC 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.