Finally, Court Orders Forfeiture Of $4.7m, N830m, Properties Linked To Emefiele

Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court in Lagos, on Friday, ordered the permanent forfeiture of $4.7million, N830million, and multiple properties linked to the immediate-past governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.

Justice Bogoro ordered that the monies and properties be handed over to the federal government after dismissing an application filed by the respondents, seeking to stop the final forfeiture request made by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The forfeited funds were held in accounts at Titan Bank and Zenith Bank and were managed by various individuals and entities, including Omoile Anita Joy, Deep Blue Energy Service Limited, Exactquote Bureau De Change Ltd, Lipam Investment Services Limited, Tatler Services Limited, Rosajul Global Resources Ltd, and TIL Communication Nigeria Ltd.

The anti-graft agency also listed the landed properties to include 94 Units of an 11-floor building under Construction at 2, Otunba Elegushi 2nd Avenue (Formerly Club) Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; AM Plaza, 11-floor office space, situated on 1E, Otunba Adedoyin Crescent, Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, Lagos; Imore Industrial Park 1, Esa Street, Imoore Land purchased with Deep Bive Industrial Town, Oriade LCDA, Amuwo Odofin LGA, Lagos; Mitrewood and Tatler Warehouse (Furniture Plant at Bogije) near Elemoro Lagos, Owolomi Village, Ibeju-Lekki LGA, Lagos State, and two properties purchased from Chevron Nigeria, Closed PFA Fund, Block B.Lot twin completed property in Lakes Estate, Lekki, Lagos.

Others include one plot of land measuring 1,038.069 sqm at Lekki Foreshore Estate Scheme, Block A, Plot 4, Foreshore Estate, Eti-Osa, LGA; an estate located at 100, Cottonwood Coppel Texas Drive, Coppel, Texas, owned by Lipam Investment Services; a land at 1, Bunmi Owulude Street, (Maruwa), Lekki Phase 1, Lagos and a property situate on 8, Bayo Kuku Road, lkoyi, Lagos.

The EFCC, represented by Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), had cited Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and Section 44(2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution to back up its application.

Oyedepo insisted that the funds and properties were suspected to have been acquired through proceeds of unlawful activities.

In her judgement, Justice Bogoro agreed with the EFCC lawyer that the properties and funds were proceeds of unlawful activities, warranting their forfeiture to the government.

The Judge held, “I find that the respondents’ activities here were unlawful. Why should there be a problem with dollars immediately after Godwin Emefiele left the CBN as governor, and salaries could not be paid? I hold that these are not legitimate business activities.

“I hold that Anita Omoile is a close associate of the former CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, who has been granted undue influence to unlawfully access dollars from the CBN. Consequently, I find that all the monies and properties listed are finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

Justice Bogoro had earlier ordered the interim forfeiture of the monies and properties and mandated the publication of the order in a national newspaper.

However, due to the failure of the respondents or anyone else to prove the legitimacy of ownership of the funds and properties, the judge made the permanent order of forfeiture.