Court seals 4 banks in Imo for contempt in suit between Ohakim and Okorocha

– Four banks in Imo state have been sealed over non-compliance to court order issued in favour of former governor of the state, Ikedi Ohakim

– The court order was against Governor Rochas Okorocha, who allegedly refused to pay Ohakim’s entitlement as ex-governor

– The four affected banks, which are situated in Owerri, were sealed on Wednesday, November 7

For failing to obey a court order issued in favour of a former governor of Imo state, Ikedi Ohakim, and against incumbent Governor Okorocha, four banks have been sealed in Owerri, the state capital, on Wednesday, November 7.

Punch reports that staff of the banks and customers stood outside. Red tapes were used to seal the affected banks.

TRACK NEWS notes that that a bank staff who confirmed the development said: “Our branch has been sealed by the court. There is a garnishee order in a case involving former Governor Ikedi Ohakim and Governor Rochas Okorocha ordering us to honour a court judgment, but our bank did not obey court rule.”

Ohakim was said to have approached the court following the failure of the state governor to pay him his entitlements as a former governor of the state.

A judgement was delivered in favour of Ohakim on May 24, 2016, the court judgement was allegedly disobeyed by the incumbent governor.

The court was approached again by Ohakim, who prayed the former to issue an order for banks where Imo state government accounts are domiciled to pay him.

Even after granting the request through a garnishee order on February 23, 2018, the banks failed to pay the ex-governor.

The court judgement partly read: “Order absolute is made against the fifth garnishee (name of bank withheld) to the tune of N112,000,000.00 (N112m).

“Order absolute to the tune of forty-four million, seven hundred and ninety thousand, eight hundred and thirty-one Naira, thirty-four kobo (N44,790,831.34), is made against the sixth garnishee (name of bank withheld), less the minimum amount required to maintain the account.

“Order absolute is made against the seventh garnishee (name of bank withheld ) to the total N8,824,240.72, less the minimum amount required to maintain the account.

“The fourth garnishee is accordingly discharged.

“In all, the degree absolute has been made on a cumulative total of N290,068,717.57. The total sum is to be paid over to this court vide the Chief Registrar, National Industrial Court of Nigeria within 14 days next.”

According to reports, Ohakim went back to the court to get an order for the sealing off of the affected banks until the state governor pays his entitlements.

Meanwhile, TRACK NEWS previously reported that Senator Hope Uzodimma, director of media and special duties to Declan Emelumba, APC governorship candidate in Imo state, said Governor Rochas Okorocha was deceiving himself of an imaginary popularity in the state.

Uzodimma said Okorocha claimed that APC would lose the next governorship election in the state because the party had failed to give its gubernatorial ticket to his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu.