A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the interim forfeiture of $2.04m and 7 property linked to a former- Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
Justice Akintayo Aluko made the order on Thurday following an utility by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which is investigating alleged fraudulent actions linked to Emefiele.
The property in query embrace prime actual property in Lekki and Ikoyi, Lagos, in addition to a big industrial complicated below building in Agbor, Delta State.
Aluko acknowledged that the interim forfeiture was essential to stop the dissipation of belongings suspected to be proceeds of illegal actions.
“The property listed in this application are reasonably suspected to have been acquired through proceeds of unlawful activities,” he stated.
The property, as listed, embrace two totally indifferent duplexes at No. 17b Hakeem Odumosu Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos; a 1,919.592 sqm undeveloped land on Oyinkan Abayomi Drive (previously Queens Drive) in Ikoyi; a bungalow at No. 65a Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi; a four-bedroom duplex at 12a Probyn Road, Ikoyi; an industrial complicated on 22 plots in Agbor, Delta State; eight flats on Adekunle Lawal Road, Ikoyi; and a full duplex at 2a Bank Road, Ikoyi.
In addition to the property, the courtroom additionally ordered the interim forfeiture of two share certificates of Queensdorf Global Fund Limited Trust, an organization allegedly linked to Emefiele.
EFCC’s counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, (SAN), who introduced the appliance for the orders in a swimsuit marked FHC/L/MISC/500/24, earlier than the courtroom argued that the belongings have been obtained by means of fraudulent actions.
“The cash and properties in query are moderately suspected to be proceeds of illegal actions.
“We urge the court to grant this application to prevent any further dissipation of these assets,” Oyedepo stated.
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Oyedepo added that the orders sought are pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14, 2006, Section 44 (2)(B) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the courtroom’s inherent jurisdiction.
He additionally knowledgeable the courtroom that the movement exparte is supported by an affidavit deposed to by one Idi Musa, an investigator connected to the Lagos workplace of the EFCC.
The EFCC’s investigation, as detailed in courtroom paperwork, revealed that Emefiele allegedly negotiated kickbacks in trade for overseas trade allocations to corporations in want of overseas forex for respectable enterprise functions.
An investigator with the EFCC, Musa, in his deposition, claimed that “these properties were acquired through shell companies, all linked to Emefiele, with the sole purpose of laundering money.”
Musa additional testified that the EFCC had recovered important proof, together with title paperwork and firm seals, throughout searches carried out on the workplace of Ifeanyi Omeke, a senior govt at Zenith Bank, who was allegedly appearing on Emefiele’s directions.
He stated, “Sometime in 2018, one Olusola Bodunde acquired a parcel of land located at Hakeem Odumosu Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos and partnered with one Idowu Sharafa to develop three units of five bedroom duplexes with attached BQ on the land.”
He added that someday in 2020, Omeke approached Bodunde and subsequently paid the entire sum of N460, 000, 000, for 2 of the three developed duplexes, bought within the title of Amrash Ventures Limited, all on behalf and on the directions of Godwin Emefiele.
“That the sum of $2,045,000m and the shares certificates, have been additionally recovered within the workplace of Mr. Collins Ifeanyi Omeke on the Zenith Bank Head workplace on Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
“Upon investigation, we discovered that Mr. Omeke purchased and perfected the title documents for several properties on behalf of Mr. Emefiele,” Musa stated.
However, Aluko, after listening to Oyedepo’s submission, and studying by means of all of the processes filed and the plethoras of authorized authorities cited, granted the interim forfeiture of the cash, the share certificates and the landed property
The choose directed th3 EFCC to publish the interim forfeiture order in nationwide newspapers, together with The PUNCH, The Guardian, and The Nation to inform any events.
He stated that the events have 14 days to seem earlier than the courtroom and present cause why the property shouldn’t be completely forfeited to the Federal Government.
The case has been adjourned until September 5, 2024, for additional listening to.