The Director Financial Intelligence Unit v Ecobank (FTCC.001/18) [2018] SLHC 1263 (24 April 2018);

FTCC.001/18                                          2018                 D.                    N0.4

 

IN THE HIGH COURT OF SIERRA LEONE (FAST TRACK COMMERCIAL COURT)

AND

IN TH EMATTER OF AN APPLICATION FOR RESTRAINT OF PROPERTY PURSUANT TO SECTION 76 OF THE ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING AND COMGATING OF FINANCING AND TERRORISM ACT NO. 2 OF  2012

 

llET\VEEN:

 

 

TIIE DIRECTOR

FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT (FIU SL)

•13 WELLINGTON STREET FREeTOWN

 

AND

 

l·:COllJ\NI< (SL) LIMITED 3 Cl l,\RLOTTE STl(EET FR1·:ETO \VN

 

1\llll SANG1\RI I:

19 YAMSON LANI, KISSY, SHELL FREETOWN
 

 

-APPLICANT

 

 

 

 

 

- 1'st RESPONDENT

 

 

 

-2'" RESPONDENT

 

 

BEFOR THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE MIATTA SAMBA, J

 DATED THE 24TH  OF APRIL 2018

Counsel:

F\VO Campbell  !:sq for  the PLAINTIFF

  1. Jc1lluh Esq  fo1· the  RESPONDENT

I.. T:1ylor  Esq  for  the intervener,\applicant

 

Ruling

  1. On file is an application by 1vC1y of :rn Ex l'CJrtc ()1·iginC1ting Notice of \lotion elcited  the  :rn1h    elc,y  of   jCJnuary  201H  101·  and                                                           on  behalf  of  the 1\pplic111t  for   the•

folloll'ing OrdCl's:

 

:1. That the l,e•spondent herein refrain from disposing of  01·  otlwnnS1'  dealing with the sum of USIJ 169,500 (One Hundred :111d Sixty Nine Thous:rnd Five Hundred United States llollCJrs) tr:rnsfcrrccl from the· 21 ·1 Century L:rnd Devclop111cnt Partners (SL) Limited, i\ccount 'fo. 0011014fl07541801 on the 3'" Janu;iry 20\fl to thefollowing  CJccount:

 

ABU S1\NCARII·:

ACCOUNT   NO. 0011131B02B'J3901

 

  1. Counsel submits that the Plaintiff is, in collaboration with other competent authorities, carrying out enquiries/investigations to determine whether in respect of the said transfers, an unlawful or money-laundering offence has been committed.

 

  1. On file is an Affidavit in Opposition sworn to by Abu Sangarie on the 22nd day    of March 2018 for and on behalf of the 2nd Respondent, with certain exhibits including the Certificate of Incorporation of the 21st Century Land Development Partners (SL) Ltd attached. Counsel  argues that  the 2nd Respondent  is a Solicitor for the 21st Century Land Development Partners (SL) Limited who  forwarded monies to him with instructions  to  purchase  property  in  Freetown.  He  submits that the property shown in Exhibit AS2 has  been  identified  for purchase and tk1l the funds, the subject matter of this litigation are the funds meant for the said purchase.

 

  1. Counsel  refers  to  paragraph  8 of the  ,\ffidavit  in Opposition  and  submits thci,

\Vithdr;nvals rnJLh_, frnin the Cornp<-1ny':-i dCcount wc_ s for the purpose of rnJkin;; advc1ncc pJyrncnts for the purchase ot the propcny  ln  !:xhibit  ,\S2  hcrcinbefor  referred.  Counsel   submits   that   tlie   funds   in   the   CompJny's  ;1ccount   arc' Lnvfui

,md 111e,111t fo1· legal busi11css.

 

  1. By way of a fin,11 reply, Counsel for the Plaintiff i11dicates to the Court tk1t he will like to file a Reply to the Affid,1vit in Opposition which was, according to Counsel, served on the Plaintiff just the  day  before  this application  was  moved. The matter was mentioned on the 26th day of March 2018 but there was nu representation. On the 9th clay of April 2018,  Counsel  for  the  Plaintiff  informed the Court that the l'lainliff has no further documents to submit in respect of the application and the 1\fficbvit in Opposition. This file was thercfo1·e withdr,nvn for ruling.

 

  1. I have read the l'x  Parte  Originating  Notice  of  i\lution  and  its  supporting Affidavit. I h,wc ,liso re,1d the Affidavit made i11 CJppositiu11 of the  said !\lotion. [ hc1vc listened \Vith keen interest to irgurnents and subm!ssions  macle  by  both  Cou11sel for the Applicant am! 2'"1 Respondent. The Court notes that although the application   was  made  orally  on  the  Ll'"  day  of  f',L11·ch,   the     l:'x  Purtc  Notice   ri(

Motion  is itself elated :l01 h d,1y ofj,rnuc1ry  2018 with  a supporti11g ,\1Ticl,1vit sworn

to on the 2"d clay of February 2018. The Court refe1·s to parag1·c1ph 6 of the supponing ,\fficlavit whe1·e the Applicrnt deposes th,H the Applicant commenced investigations into the receipt t1·,rnsfrrs of monies to determine whether the s,1id transfe1·s were unl,nvtul. The Court's position is as  follows:

 

  1. That the Applicant  files  an  Investigative  Report  with  this  Court  in  respect  of 1·cceipt ,mcl t1·ansfer of monies between  the  l5'  Fespo11cle11t,  21" Century Lrncl Development PMtners SL Limited a11d  the  2'"1 Respondent within  10  clJys  of this Order.

 

  1. That each  p,1nv-

 

will 1Jc:1r its own costs.