SAN FRANCISCO, August 07, (THEWILL) – Justice Chuka Obiozor-led Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered that a $37.5m mansion on Banana Island, Lagos linked to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
The anti-graft agency said
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had stated the Banana Island manson was reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities by Diezani. It added that its investigations revealed that Diezani purchased the property sometime in 2013 at the price of $37.5m, which she paid in cash.
Following a motion on notice argued before him by the EFCC, the judge had directed that the temporary forfeiture order be published in a newspaper and then adjourned till today 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.
The 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.
EFCC, had on July 19, 2017, obtained a court order to temporarily seize the property designated as 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. Listed as respondents in the forfeiture application were Diezani, and the second and third respondent being a legal practitioner, Afamefuna Nwokedi, a company, Rusimpex Limited respectively.
During Monday’s proceedings, the EFCC lawyer, Mr. Anselem Ozioko, told the court that the publication order had been complied with, adding that despite going the extra length to personally serve the second and third respondents, 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, urging the judge to go ahead and order the permanent forfeiture of the property and the funds.
In a terse ruling on the application, Justice Obiozor 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.”
