The Lagos State High Court in Osborne Foreshore Estate, Ikoyi, has ordered the freezing of bank accounts linked to an estate developer, Clement Mokedi, and four others over the sale of property belonging to one Kehinde Bolodeoku.

The attorney of Bolodeoku, Ravins Brook Deliveries, in an ex-parte application filed by their counsel, Gbenga Ajala, in suit no LD/602CM/2022, urged the court to freeze the bank accounts of the respondents pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed in the suit.

The other respondents in the suit are ARC Curve Limited, Gboyega Adewuyi, M&N Properties Limited and Mr Uche Manu.

Moving the application, Ajala informed the court that the matter before it was an originating motion on notice but due to the peculiarity and urgency of the case, a motion ex-parte had been filed.

According to Ajala, the respondents diverted the funds meant for the construction of five units of three bedroom flats at Plot 6, Block 3, Rock Drive, Off C&l Leasing Drives, Lekki Phase 1.

The counsel also informed the court that the notice of the sale of the property was in January 2022.

Ruling on the application, Justice R.O. Olukolu restrained the respondents from accessing funds in their accounts pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for Mareva injunction.

The judge also directed the banks to stop utilising, accessing and dissipating the funds and proceeds from the purported sale of Bolodeoku’s apartment at Unit 12 on the 5th floor of the building situated at Plot 6, Block 3, Rock Drive, Off C&l Leasing Drives, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos State.

The Mareva injunction also restrained the respondents, in the interim, from dealing with any of the monies standing to their credit in any accounts in the banks.

The affected banks are Access Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank, First City Monument Bank, GTB, Union Bank of Nigeria, UBA, Zenith Bank, Citi Bank, Eco-Bank, Heritage Bank, Keystone Bank.

Others are Polaris Bank, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Sterling Trust Bank, Titan Trust Bank, Unity Bank, WEMA Bank, and Providus Bank.

The court also granted an order of Mareva injunction directing/mandating Zenith Bank Plc, the eight party cited to immediately freeze Mokedi’s account number 1006335486 and restrict any withdrawals from the said account, pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion on notice in the suit.

The matter was thereafter adjourned till March 16, 2022, for the report of service.