Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered interim forfeiture of $2.04 million and seven properties linked to the embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.
Justice Akintayo Aluko made the order on Thursday following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission investigating alleged fraudulent activities linked to Emefiele.
The properties in question include prime real estate in Lekki and Ikoyi, Lagos, as well as a large industrial complex under construction in Agbor, Delta State.
Justice Aluko stated that the interim forfeiture was necessary to prevent the dissipation of the assets suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
“The properties listed in this application are reasonably suspected to have been acquired through proceeds of unlawful activities,” he said.
The properties, as listed, include two fully detached duplexes at No. 17b Hakeem Odumosu Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos; a 1,919.592 sqm undeveloped land on Oyinkan Abayomi Drive (formerly Queens Drive) in Ikoyi; a bungalow at No. 65a Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi; a four-bedroom duplex at 12a Probyn Road, Ikoyi; an industrial complex on 22 plots in Agbor, Delta State; eight apartments on Adekunle Lawal Road, Ikoyi; and a full duplex at 2a Bank Road, Ikoyi.
In addition to the properties, the court also ordered the interim forfeiture of two share certificates of Queensdorf Global Fund Limited Trust, a company allegedly linked to Emefiele.
EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, (SAN), who brought the application for the orders in a suit marked FHC/L/MISC/500/24, argued that the assets were obtained through fraudulent activities.
“The money and properties in question are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities. We urge the court to grant this application to prevent any further dissipation of these assets,” Oyedepo said.
Justice Aluko, after granting an interim forfeiture order, directed the EFCC to publish the same in a national newspaper and gave 14 days for anyone who has an interest in the funds and the assets to appear in court to show cause why they should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
This comes as the case has been adjourned to September 5, 2024, for further hearing.
Thursday’s forfeiture is the latest in the series of forfeiture orders obtained by the anti-graft agency against Emefiele, who is facing multiple corruption charges.
Newspot recalls that on May 29, 2024, the same Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the forfeiture of $1.4 million linked with the embattled apex bank boss.
Earlier, in the same month of May 23, the EFCC obtained forfeiture orders on $4.7m, N830m, and properties linked to Emefiele.
There was also a separate permanent forfeiture order on choice properties worth N12.18 billion from Emefiele.
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