Case of illegal withdrawal from deceased’s bank account for Dec 9

A Kaduna State High Court has fixed December 9 for hearing of the case challenging the alleged illegal withdrawal of the sum of N14.2 million from the account of a deceased customer of Zenith Bank Plc. 

Justice E. Andow also summoned the managing director of the bank over the continued neglect of an order to effect a refund of the sum.

The orders follow contempt proceedings titled, “Notice to Show Cause Why Order of Committal Should not be Made” brought by Magnus Nnaemeka Aguwa, husband to Florence Ngozi Aguwa, who died in January 2020.

The order further reads, “Take notice that the 3rd defendant/applicants will on the 9th December 2021 in the afternoon apply to this court for an order for your committal to prison having disobeyed the order of this honourable court made on 5th day of October 2021 requiring you to pay the sum of N14, 216,107.34 from account number 1003005241 belonging to Mrs Florence Ngozi Aguwa and domiciled with 1st defendant/respondent into account no 0230780257 belonging to Mrs Florence Ngozi Aguwa domiciled with Guaranty Trust Bank Nigeria Plc pending the determination of the motion on notice filed by the 3rd defendant/applicant before this honourable court.”

The judge, in the motion brought by the Aguwa’s counsel, Oteiku Asekome, in reply to a suit by one Jecinta Uloma Ibe, directed the Commissioner for Police, Kaduna State to commence investigation into the circumstances behind the withdrawal of the sum from the deceased’s bank account.

The contempt proceedings were initiated after disobedience to refund the money to the deceased’s account after her husband discovered that the relatives went to the Probate Registry of the Kaduna State High Court after they were blocked at the FCT High Court Probate Registry after the manager’s cheque issued to her was withdrawn by the bank.