Court orders forfeiture of N11.14bn property linked to Emefiele
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The Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday granted the Federal Government an order of interim forfeiture of property valued at N11,140,000,000.00 linked to the embattled former governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.
The presiding choose, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, made the order following a movement filed and argued by the counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).
Oyedepo knowledgeable the court docket that Emefiele was suspected of getting purchased the selection property, largely situated in intellectual components of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, by proxy, with the proceeds of fraud.
The EFCC’s counsel stated the anti-graft company recognized a former CBN workers member and two present ones as Emefiele’s accomplices within the alleged fraud.
Justice Aneke additionally ordered the EFCC to publish the order within the ThisDay newspaper in order that any occasion may present trigger why the ultimate order of forfeiture shouldn’t be made.
The choose adjourned until June 21 to listen to the movement for ultimate forfeiture.
Recall that on May 30, 2024, a Federal High Court in Lagos had ordered the interim forfeiture of $1,426,175.14 linked to Emefiele.
Justice Ayokunle Faji directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to publish the interim forfeiture order in a nationwide newspaper.
The choose stated anybody within the funds should seem earlier than him inside 14 days to indicate trigger why the funds shouldn’t be completely forfeited to the Federal Government.
The court docket order adopted an ex parte utility marked FHC/L/CS/232/2024, moved by EFCC counsel, Bilikisu Buhari-Bala.
Buhari-Bala informed Justice Faji that the funds had been fairly suspected to be proceeds of illegal actions of Emefiele, who’s at present going through three legal trials.
