A Federal High Court in Lagos has restrained Shebah Exploration and Production Company Limited, Shebah Petroleum Development Company Limited, a guarantor, Dr. Ambrosie Orjiako, and persons acting on their behalf from withdrawing from the accounts of nine other defendants and 29 banks.
Justice Yellin Bogoro made the interim order while granting ex parte Mareva application filed by Zenith Bank Plc through its counsel, Mr. Kemi Balogun (SAN), in the matter of an alleged $78,426,578.64 debt.
The fourth to the eighth defendants are companies in which the third defendant has substantial interest.
The injunction restrained the trio and their proxies in Nigeria, the United States of America (U.AS.A), the United Kingdom (UK), the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Switzerland, the European Union (EU) and any jurisdiction worldwide, pending the hearing and determination of Zenith Bank’s motion on notice.
The fourth to ninth respondents are: Seplat Petroleum Development Plc; Zebra Energy Nigeria Limited; Glencore UK Limited; Abbey Court Energy Service Limited; Neimeth Pharmaceutical International Plc; all trustees, proxies, agents, nominees and all individuals or body corporates holding the asset or assets of the third defendant, Dr. Orjiako.
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The judge further restrained the fourth to the ninth defendants or persons acting on their behalf from dissipating, disposing of, selling, transferring, alienating, and/or moving out of the court’s jurisdiction any asset and other instruments in the name of the first, second, and third defendants or acquired by the first, second, and third defendants, anywhere in the world.
The order also restrained Dr. Orjiako from receiving and/or otherwise dissipating any dividend or profits held by anyone appointed by him and through any scheme which is under the custody of the fourth to ninth defendants.
The interim order of Mareva injunction also barred the first, second and third defendants from disposing of any of their assets, money.
“Leave is granted to the plaintiff to serve the originating processes and all other processes filed and to be filed in this suit on the second, sixth and ninth defendants through DHL courier delivery company to their respective addresses,” Justice Bogoro held.