Court orders final forfeiture of N732.85m, land property to FG

Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court Abuja Division has ordered final forfeiture of N732.85 million identified as unlawful proceeds traced to 17 respondents to the Federal Government.

The Court granted the forfeiture following an application brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Tsoho had on November 16, 2018, granted an interim forfeiture order, following the ex-parte application filed by the lawyer to the EFCC, Abbah Mohammed.

The ex-parte motion was brought before the court, pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act 2006, and Section 44(2)(B)(K) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which sought an order of interim forfeiture of the said sum and property.

While granting the interim forfeiture of the said N732.85 million, Justice Tsoho also ordered the EFCC to advertise the order in the newspapers for any interested party to show cause within 14 days on why the money should not be forfeited to the government.

The property in question includes a plot of land situated at Katsina Road by Ogbomosho Road, Kaduna North Local Government Area, worth N190 million, traced to the 17 respondents said to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

The EFCC was able to secure the final forfeiture, following the usage of non-conviction based forfeiture proceedings.

The forfeited sum of N732.85 million was stolen from the Presidential Amnesty Programme Office by 17 respondents to the suit.

The 17 Respondents to the suit include Paul Tarela Boroh, Hanafi Musa Moriki, Allotey Asari Edem, and Joshua Ebiemeyefa.

Others are D. Wokoma, Bernard Ochoche, Cecilia Adebisi, Omofuma Faith, Olusegun Opeyemi Okungbure, Beggi Erepatei, Matti Abdul, Stella Nnamatti, Theresa Okoro, Chika Nsirim, Omonyemen Osunbor, Musa Odiringa, and Ode Martins Olajide.

Investigations by the EFCC had uncovered the various sums of N124,000,000; N320,000,000; N68,768,916; N1,900,000; N5,125,000; N3,000,000; N28,595,755; N6,137,000; N40,000,000; N46,800,000; N16,315,000; N2,547,800; N3,900,000; N8,234,650; N6,800,000; N2,651,000, and N1,970,750 traced to the respondents, respectively.

The judge consequently ordered that the monies and property should be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.