… To Hear Applications On Forfeited Assets
AfriqueCAN
The Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed Thursday, September 12 for the hearing of all applications on a suit seeking to forfeit permanently some monies and properties linked to a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria – CBN, Godwin Emefiele.
Justice Deinde Dipeolu fixed the date after listening to the submissions of all the counsel in the matter.
At the resumed hearing of the matter on Thursday, Bilikisu Buhari-Bala, appeared for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) while Olalekan Ojo (SAN) appeared for the former CBN Governor.
Another lawyer, Chibuzor Opara, announced his appearance for the occupants of 8a Adekunle Lawal Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, one of the properties sought to be forfeited by the EFCC to the Federal Government.
The EFCC counsel, Buhari-Bala told the court that the matter was fixed for Thursday, for report of compliance of the orders made on August 15, 2024.
On that day, the vacation judge at the time, Justice Akintayo Aluko, had ordered an interim forfeiture of a cash sum of $2,045 million USD, and some landed properties linked to the embattled former CBN Governor.
The court had also ordered the publication of the forfeiture order in the newspapers to enable interested persons to come forward to show cause why a permanent forfeiture order of the assets should not be made.
Flowing from that, Buhari-Bala told Justice Dipeolu who took over as vacation judge, that the EFCC had complied with the orders of court and filed an affidavit showing that the order was published on August 28, 2024 in a newspaper.
Buhari-Bala also informed the court that she had received two applications from counsel to Emefiele but the applications were not ripe for hearing. She therefore asked the court for a short adjournment to enable her to respond to the applications.
Counsel to Emefiele, Ojo, in his response, informed the court that the applications filed were seeking to stay further proceedings in the forfeiture suit.
“The law allows such an application to take precedence over the substantive application,” he said.
The Senior Advocate urged the court to adjourn proceedings till Monday, Sept 9th, for the hearing of his client’s application.
However, Opara, who appeared for the occupants of No 8a, Adekunle Lawal road, Ikoyi, told the court that he is yet to have all processes filed in the matter, despite applying for the same.
He also urged the court to grant an adjournment, to enable him to file his clients’ processes.
After listening to all counsel, Justice Dipeolu adjourned the matter to September 12, for hearing of all applications.
Justice Akintayo Aluko on August 15th ordered the interim forfeiture of a cash sum of $2, 045 million USD, and some landed properties linked to the former CBN Governor.
The judge granted the forfeiture order, after taking the submission of EFCC Counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, who filed and moved the Exparte application for the order.
Apart from No 8a, Adekunle Lawal Road, Ikoyi, other properties ordered to be forfeited by the court include two fully detached duplexes of identical structures, lying, being and situated at No. 17b Hakeem Odumosu Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos; an undeveloped land, measuring 1919.592sqm with Survey Plan No. DS/LS/340 Lying, being and situate at Oyinkan Abayomi Drive (Formerly Queens Drive), Ikoyi, Lagos; a bungalow lying, being and situate at No. 65a Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, (Formerly Queens Drive), Ikoyi, Lagos; four bedroom duplex lying, being and situate at 12a Probyn Road, Ikoyi; Industrial complex under construction on a 22-plot of land, lying, being and situate in Agbor, Delta State; 8 units of the undetached apartment on a plot measuring 2457.60sqm lying, being and situate at No. 8a Adekunle Lawal Road, Ikoyi, and a full duplex together with all its appurtenances on a plot of land measuring 2217.87sqm lying, being and situate at 2a Bank Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Justice Aluko also ordered that two share certificates of Queensdorf Global Fund Limited Trust belonging to Emefiele be temporarily forfeited.
After granting the Exparte, the court had ordered the EFCC to publish the orders in a well-circulated national newspaper within 14 days, for any interested party to show cause and tell the court why the money and properties should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
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