The Legal professional Basic of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has denied claims {that a} United States District Court docket authorized Louis E. Williams to snatch $21m from Nigeria’s account with JP Morgan.
The Ministry of Justice, in a remark signed by means of the AGF, on Wednesday, clarified that the inaccuracies first printed by means of a web-based media platform (now not The PUNCH) had been utterly fraudelant.
The remark criticised the stories for failing to hunt the ministry’s reaction, as he challenged the media shops to grant a book of any US courtroom layout matching to the alleged seizure.
It stated the United States District Court docket had now not authorized any seizure of Nigerian executive budget.
The remark learn, “The ministry needs to i’m ready the report instantly relating to an faulty newsletter by means of Peoples Gazette and others alleging {that a} US District Court docket has authorized a definite Louis E. Williams to snatch $21m from Nigeria’s account with JP Morgan.
“We need to observe from the document follows in a similar way faulty publications by means of Peoples Gazette on August 21, 2023, beneath the defend: ‘UK Court authorises SSS victim Williams Emovbira to seize $21 million from CBN account with JP Morgan in New York’.
“Not one of the media shops that syndicated the tale sought the response of the Nigerian executive. Certainly, the ministry demanding situations those media shops to put up a book of the United States courtroom layout authorising the seizure.
“The ministry hereby clarifies that at no time did the US District Court authorise the seizure of funds belonging to the Nigerian government in the custody of JP Morgan. The court only refused Nigeria’s preliminary motion to dismiss the complaint against it on the ground of sovereign immunity.”
The remark stated by means of the courtroom’s choice of August 21, 2024, the case would now advance to a substantive listening to.
A British-Nigerian businessman, Williams Emovbira, had narrated how he used to be abused and defrauded by means of the Nigerian home perception place of job within the Eighties and used to be not easy the layout of the courtroom to take out $21m from Nigeria’s account with JP Morgans as damages.
Talking at the choice of the courtroom, the Justice Ministry stated, “The implication of the ruling rendered on August 21, 2024, is that the case would now advance to a substantive listening to on advantage, in which events are required to offer proof and felony submissions in assistance in their case earlier than the courtroom will factor a last choice.
“It’s pertinent to shape that Nigeria has filed an enchantment in opposition to the interlocutory choice.
“Nigeria has launched robust legal defences/challenges in the UK and US courts against Williams’ claims, including by launching proceedings against him for fraud and, therefore, remains quite confident and optimistic that his attempts to strong-arm the Nigerian government will come to nought.”