Justice Chuka Obiozor of a Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday ordered
the permanent forfeiture to the Federal Government a $37.5m mansion
located at Banana Island, Lagos which the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission linked to embattled former Minister of Petroleum Resources,
Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke.
Justice
Obizor court also ordered that the sums of sums of $2,740,197.96 and
N84,537,840.70 realised as rents on the property should equally be
forfeited to the Federal Government.
It
would be recalled that the EFCC had on July 19, 2017, obtained a court
order to temporarily seize the property located at Building 3, Block
B, Bella Vista Plot 1, Zone N, Federal Government Layout, Banana Island
Foreshore Estate, which is said to have 24 apartments, 18 flats and six
penthouses.
The court had directed that the temporary forfeiture order be published in a newspaper and then adjourned till Monday for
anyone interested in the property and funds to appear to convince the
court why they should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal
Government.
EFCC
lawyer, lawyer Anselem Ozioko however, told the court that despite
going the extra length to personally serve the second and third
respondent in the case, Afamefuna Nwokedi, and a company, Rusimpex
Limited, they did not show up in court to contest the forfeiture order.
“In summary, it appears as if they are not willing to contest this application,” Ozioko said.
“In
the face of the publication, which I find in Exhibit B of the affidavit
of compliance before me, and there being no responses from any
interested party, I have no other option but to grant the orders as
prayed,” Justice Obiozor ruled.
The
EFCC had earlier told the judge that the Banana Island manson was
reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful
activities by Diezani.
The
anti-graft agency said its investigations revealed that Diezani
purchased the property sometimes in 2013 at the price of $37.5m, which
she paid in cash.
According
to the EFCC, the $37.5m was moved straight from Diezani’s house in
Abuja and paid into the selller’s First Bank account in Abuja.
“Nothing could be more suspicious than someone keeping such huge amounts in her apartment.
“We
are convinced beyond reasonable doubt because as of the time this
happened, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke was still in public service as the
Minister of Petroleum Resources,” EFCC lawyer, Ozioko sai
Listed
as respondents in the forfeiture application were Diezani, a legal
practitioner, Afamefuna Nwokedi, and a company, Rusimpex Limited.
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