Court orders interim forfeiture of N241m allegedly diverted from presidency

Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Friday ordered the interim forfeiture of N241milion allegedly diverted by some individuals from the office of the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to the Federal Government.

The judge gave the judgment while ruling on an ex parte application filed on the funds by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He also ordered the forfeiture of Real Tower Centre Shopping Complex at Plot 1121, Ekukinam Street, Utako District, Cadastral Zone, Abuja, to the federal government.

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The EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo told the judge that the N241million was warehoused in two banks in four tranches of N65million, N61million, N50million, and N65million respectively.

According to him, the commission discovered that the Abuja property was purchased with the diverted funds

The EFCC fingered the Principal Accountant in the SDG, Mr. Abdulsalam Bawa, as a key suspect in the fraud, adding that the funds were diverted in connivance with the agency staff.

Justice Oweibo adjourned the ruling on the matter till September 6.

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