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Justice Rasul Oriyomi Olukolu of the Lagos State High, has ordered Zenith Bank Plc to pay the sum of one billion naira as damages for restrict it customer’s bank account without a valid and subsisting court order authorizing such.
The judge gave the verdict while ruling on a suit instituted against bank by it customer, Hajia Sa’daatu Ramallan Yaro.
The court in its judgment held that the claimant, Hajia Yaro commenced the suit with an Originating Summons dated January 16, 2023 but filed on 17th January, 2019.
In the suit, the claimant prayed the court to determines whether in view of the respective holdings and the decisions of the Court of Appeal in which it declared as unlawful for banks to unilaterally or in conjunction with any authority or law enforcement agency freeze or restricted their customers’ bank accounts without a valid and subsisting court order authorizing such freezing or restrictions.
Wether the defendant, Zenith Bank Plc can unilaterally, freeze or restrict the accounts of the claimant.
Delivering judgment, Justice Olukolu ruled that:”a declaration that the freezing of, and/or restriction place on, the claimant’s account by the defendant prior to a valid and subsisting court order is illegal and unlawful is hereby granted as prayed.
“An order is hereby granted directing the defendant to immediately unfreeze and/or remove any restriction placed on the claimant’s account number 2282692638, the court order dated November 16th, 2022 on the said account having expired.
“Exemplary damages in sum of N1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira) against the defendant is hereby granted.
“Interest of ten percent (10%) per annum on the entire sum in the claimant account from the date of judgement in this suit until the restriction placed on the claimant’s account is removed is hereby refused.
“Cost of this action in the sum of
N15,000,000 (Fifteen Million Naira) is hereby granted, having been proved via the affidavit evidence and exhibit ‘D’ attached to the application is hereby granted”.
