Industrial Court Orders Sealing of Zenith Bank Premises in Owerri over Judgment Debt
The Presiding Judge, Owerri Judicial Division of the National Industrial Court, Hon. Justice Ibrahim Galadima has ordered that Zenith Bank Branches in Owerri be sealed until the judgment debt of N1, 970,666,584.68k (One Billion, Nine Hundred and Seventy Million, Six Hundred and Sixty-Six Thousand, Five Hundred and Eighty-Four Naira, Sixty-Eight Kobo) payable by the Government of Imo State is paid to the Judgment Creditor, Prince Eze Madumere in full and final satisfaction of the Judgment debt made absolute against it on Friday 27th May 2022.
The Court made the order sequel to an ex-parte application filed by Prince Eze Madumere (Judgment Creditor) through his counsel K.C.O. Njemanze (SAN), brought pursuant to the Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2017, Sheriffs and Civil Process Act and under the Inherent Jurisdiction of the Court. The application sought, among others, for an Order executing or enforcing the Order of the Honourable Court made on the 27/5/2022 against Zenith Bank PIc to wit; by sealing-off, all her branches in Owerri until the order of the Court is complied with.
The Counsel stated that the said garnishee (Zenith Bank) had failed to obey the aforesaid positive, unequivocal and mandatory Order of the Court, and urged the court to grant the reliefs sought in the interest of justice.
Delivering the ruling after careful evaluation of the processes filed, the presiding Judge, Justice Ibrahim Galadima granted the application for leave to issue writ of Execution as prayed and awarded the sum of N200, 000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand) as the cost of execution to the Judgment executioner.
