Forfeiture Order: Court Refuses Emefiele’s Application To Stay Proceedings

Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday refused to stay further proceedings in the suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seeking the forfeiture of properties and monies linked to a former governor of the Central Bank (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.

Emefiele had through his lawyer, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), urged the judge to stay proceedings pending the hearing of an appeal he filed before the Court of Appeal seeking to nullify the temporary forfeiture order earlier granted by the court.

But Justice Deinde Dipeolu held in his ruling that interested parties had the right to approach the Court of Appeal which must be contingent on the trial court’s decision.

He also held that an appeal flows from the decision of a trial court, but in the instant case, the court had not made any decision as to any application filed or as to the substantive issues in the suit.

At the court’s last sitting on September 12, Ojo had urged the court to stay further proceedings in the case pending the determination of the banker’s appeal.

He said, “We’re urging your lordship to stay proceedings pending the hearing and determination of the appeal court to avoid judicial rascality”.

However, counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), had objected, insisting that no application from Emefiele was taken and ruling on that crystallised to an appeal.

Justice Dipeolu fixed November 1, 2024 to rule on the application by the anti-graft agency for final forfeiture of the $2.045million, seven choice landed properties and shares linked to Emefiele.

The court will also rule on the application filed by Emefiele challenging the jurisdiction court to entertain the forfeiture proceedings.