Disagreement over frozen accounts as Dilly Motors denies court order on company's accounts

Following the freezing of bank accounts operated by Dilly Motors Limited as ordered by the State High Court in Bayelsa over allegations bordering on N2.5bn car deal, the company has denied the allegations levelled against it.

Solalina Mass Transport Limited had reportedly entered into a contract with Dilly Motors to supply some vehicles to the Bayelsa State Government on their behalf.

According to reports, Contract terms between both parties had stated that Solalina Mass Transport Limited would receive an agreed commission as ‘finders’ if the deal was successful.

After pursuing the opportunity for Dilly Motors, the deal reportedly sailed through, but Dilly Motors allegedly refused to pay the company their fees after receiving almost full payment for the job.

Solalina thereafter dragged Dilly Motors and its owner Okwudili Umenyiora to court, accusing both parties of breach of contract.

On Tuesday, July 21, 2020, the matter came up for hearing at the Bayelsa State High Court.

During the hearing presided over by Justice T.I Cocodia, counsel to Dilly Motors Mr Chijioke Emeka filed for out of court settlement.

However, since Solalina did not oppose the application, the Judge adjourned the case sine-die after ruling that the matter be settled by arbitration.

Explaining why the application was not opposed, Counsel to Solalina Barrister Timi Woko said his client had always wanted to have the matter settled amicably.

Woko said he wondered why the matter had to get to court before Dilly Motors opted for out of court settlement. He added that if the automobile sale company had done what was demanded of the legitimate contract long ago, the matter would not have gotten to court.

Meanwhile, while the case was ongoing, police had obtained orders from a High Court on freezing some of the accounts of Dilly Motors and another get access to their bank accounts information following a petitioned written against Okwudili Umenyiora.

The presiding Judge, Justice Ebiyerin Omukoro reportedly ordered that the company’s accounts be frozen.

Umenyiora, however, has denied that two of the bank accounts operated by his company were ordered to be frozen by a Bayelsa State High Court.

Dilly Motors also claimed that the ex parte application by the Police in Suit No. SHC/11M/2020 on 13th July 2020 to freeze its accounts was not granted. But contrary to their claims, court papers showed that the bank accounts have been frozen.

Based on previous allegations against Umemyora, the Department of State Services (DSS) was said to have invited him and the management of Dilly Motors on issues bordering on economic sabotage in the vehicle purchase.

According to the report by Boss Newspaper, investigations are ongoing between Solalina Motors and Dilly Motors as the court is expected to fix a new date on the matter.