A Federal High Court in Lagos will on March 2 2017 hear the suit filed by a hu­man rights lawyer Chief Mike Ozekhome SAN against the freezing of his firm’s bank account with N75 million said to be legal fees from Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fay­ose, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Com­mission (EFCC).

Justice Abdulazeez Anka on Thursday or­dered that a hearing notice be served on the EFCC. The court had on February 7, 2017 ordered a temporary forfeiture of N75 million found in Ozekhome’s Guaranty Trust Bank account fol­lowing an application by the EFCC.

When the case came up yesterday, the EFCC was not represented in court.
Addressing the court, Ozekhome said that his suit was filed on February 14, 2017 and that EFCC was served on February 20, 2017 according to a proof of service.

Justice Anka noted that the Commission was still within time to respond, adding that EFCC was en­titled to seven days which had not lapsed.

In his response, Ozek­home asked for the earli­est possible date for hear­ing of his application, insisting that the suit was urgent.
Ozekhome, who is seeking the immediate va­cation of the interim for­feiture order, argued that the EFCC’s application for the interim order was done in bad faith.

The Source: The Vanguard