Federal High Court in Ikoyi Lagos yesterday granted the application of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to seize N1,260 billion and other cash domiciled in Heritage Bank.
The commission has also launched manhunt for six top management staff of the bank.
According to EFCC, the Interim Forfeiture Order was secured from Justice Chuka Obiozor.
Granting the order yesterday, Justice Chuka Obiozor ruled that other sums like $327,132, 167.85 pounds, and €157.90 be forfeited in the interim pending the determination of the substantive suit brought against the Managing Director of the Bank, Ifiesimama Sekibo and five others by the EFCC.
The charges border, among others, on conspiracy, stealing, obtaining money under false pretences and forgery.
The EFCC alleged that the defendants obtained the sum of N1bn from Heritage Bank Plc “by falsely representing the sum as proceeds of Vlamings Professional Limited’s investment in Heritage Bank Plc.”
It accused them of dishonestly converting the N1bn, being Heritage Bank’s property, to their own.
They were accused of forging a document titled ‘RE: Expression of Interest in Agric Fund Management Scheme.”
According to the anti-graft agency, the defendants allegedly forged the document dated April 2, 2015, “purporting it to be a loan scheme executed in favour of Vlamings Professionals Limited.”
