The Federal High Court in Lagos has mandated the permanent forfeiture of Godwin Emefiele, the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and several other properties.
Justice Yellim Bogoro in a judgment delivered Friday also ordered the final forfeiture of investments worth $900, 000 traced to one of Emefiele’s close relative, Anita Joy Omoile.
Additionally, the court ordered the final forfeiture of all businesses connected to Omoile, including the $4.4 million in investments that were traced to Deep Blue Energy Services Ltd. and the $1.2 billion in Zenith Bank that were traced to the Exactquote Bureau De Change (BDC) and $20,000 each.
Justice Bogoro, in the case of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), determined that the funds were the result of unlawful activities and ordered the Federal Government of Nigeria to forfeit them in its entirety.
The seized funds were held in First Bank, Zenith Bank, and Titan Bank accounts run by businesses like Deep Blue Industrial Park Ltd., TIL Communication Nigeria Limited, Tatler Services Limited, Rosajul Global Resources Limited, and Anita Omoile.
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The forfeited properties includes 94 units of an 11-floor building under construction at 2 Otunba Elegushi 2nd Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos, AM Plaza, an 11-floor office space on Otunba Adedoyin Crescent, Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, Lagos, Imore Industrial Park 1 on Esa Street, Imoore Land, Amuwo Odofin LGA, Lagos, Mitrewood and Tatler Warehouse, a furniture Plant at Bogije located near Elemoro, Owolomi Village, Ibeju-Lekki LGA, Lagos, and two properties purchased from Chevron Nigeria, located in Lakes Estate, Lekki, Lagos.
The other properties are: a plot at Lekki Foreshore Estate Scheme, Eti-Osa, LGA, an estate located at 100 Cottonwood Coppel Texas Drive, Coppel, Texas, owned by Lipam Investment Services, a land at Bunmi Olowude Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, and a property at 8 Bayo Kuku Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
The EFCC, led by Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), Bilikisi Buhari-Bala & six other prosecutors, claimed Emefiele allegedly obtained some of his close friends, cronies, and allies to conceal and conceal the funds that are the proceeds of his illegal activities in various accounts both domestically and abroad.
Additionally, the Commission claimed that Anita Joy Omoile allegedly received a huge sum of money from the then-Gouverneur of Central Bank, Godwin Ifeanyi Emiefele, by using Lipam Investment Services Limited and several other privately held companies to run bureau de change businesses without authorization.
Omoile who is said to be on the run allegedly procured her allies, Esther Aderohunmu, Lucia Ewubor, and Calista Ogbonna to pay the huge sums of money into the various accounts.
The EFCC should publish a notice in the newspapers asking for anyone with interest to demonstrate cause why the assets should not be ultimately forfeited to the Federal Government. Justice Bogoro had ordered an interim forfeiture of the property.
In her judgment, Friday, on the forfeiture proceedings, Justice Bogoro first dismissed an application from Leke Sanni &, associates seeking to arrest the judgment.
Justice Bogoro ruled that all real estate and funds are the result of illegal activities that the Federal Government of Nigeria is required to forfeit.
The judge held: “I find that the activities of the respondents here were unlawful. Why should they have a money issue as soon as Godwin Emefiele leaves the CBN and receives no compensation for it?
” I hold that they are not legitimate business activities. Anita Omoile, a close ally of former CBN governor Godwin Emefiele, has been abused by the CBN to sway money, in my opinion.
Source: Channels TV
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