The Federal High Court in Lagos has issued an interim forfeiture order for $2.04 million and several properties associated with former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele.
Justice Akintayo Aluko granted the order on Thursday following a request from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which is probing allegations of fraudulent activities involving Emefiele.
The assets include prime real estate in Lekki and Ikoyi, Lagos, and a significant industrial complex currently under construction in Agbor, Delta State.
Justice Aluko emphasized the necessity of the interim forfeiture to prevent the potential dissipation of assets believed to be proceeds of illegal activities.
“The properties listed are reasonably suspected to have been acquired through unlawful means,” he stated.
Among the properties under the forfeiture order are two fully detached duplexes on Hakeem Odumosu Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos; a 1,919.592 sqm plot of undeveloped land on Oyinkan Abayomi Drive (formerly Queens Drive) in Ikoyi; a bungalow on Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi; a four-bedroom duplex on Probyn Road, Ikoyi; an industrial complex spread across 22 plots in Agbor, Delta State; eight apartments on Adekunle Lawal Road, Ikoyi; and a duplex on Bank Road, Ikoyi.
Additionally, the court ordered the interim forfeiture of two share certificates of Queensdorf Global Fund Limited Trust, a company allegedly linked to Emefiele.
The EFCC, represented by counsel Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), argued that the assets were acquired through fraudulent activities and requested the court’s intervention to prevent their further dissipation.
“The assets in question are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities. We urge the court to grant this application to safeguard these assets,” Oyedepo stated.
The interim forfeiture order was granted under the provisions of Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14, 2006, and Section 44(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution.
Court documents revealed that the EFCC’s investigation indicated that Emefiele allegedly negotiated kickbacks in exchange for foreign exchange allocations to companies requiring foreign currency for legitimate business operations.
An EFCC investigator, Idi Musa, testified that the properties were acquired through shell companies linked to Emefiele, with the primary intention of laundering money.
“These properties were acquired through shell companies all linked to Emefiele for the purpose of laundering money,” Musa stated.
The investigator further disclosed that significant evidence, including title documents and company seals, had been recovered during the course of the investigation.
Musa also mentioned that in 2018, one Olusola Bodunde acquired a parcel of land on Hakeem Odumosu Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, and partnered with Idowu Sharafa to develop three units of five-bedroom duplexes with attached BQ on the land.
According to the investigator, in 2020, Omeke allegedly approached Bodunde and paid a total of N460 million for two of the three developed duplexes, purchased under the name of Amrash Ventures Limited, all on behalf of and under the instructions of Godwin Emefiele.
The EFCC reportedly recovered $2.045 million and share certificates during a search of Mr. Collins meke’s office even as it was alleged that Omeke had purchased and perfected the title documents for several properties on behalf of Emefiele.
Justice Aluko directed the EFCC to publish the interim forfeiture order in a national newspaper and granted a 14-day window for any interested parties to appear in court and contest the forfeiture. The case has been adjourned to September 5, 2024, for further proceedings.
This forfeiture order is the latest in a series of similar actions taken by the EFCC against Emefiele, who is facing multiple corruption charges. On May 29, the same court ordered the forfeiture of $1.4 million linked to the former central bank chief. Earlier, on May 23, the EFCC secured forfeiture orders for $4.7 million, N830 million, and various properties tied to Emefiele. Additionally, a permanent forfeiture order was issued for choice properties valued at N12.18 billion.
Be the first to comment