Court orders permanent forfeiture of more properties linked to Diezani

A Federal High Court sitting I. Lagos has order the permanent forfeiture of more properties believed to belong to a former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

The properties are two penthouses valued at $4.760 million, with both of them located at Ikoyi Lagos.

The trial judge, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, gave the ruling following the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC’s) application, marked FHC/L/CS/1793c/17, with Alison-Madueke, Donald Amagbo, Schillenburg LLC and Sequoyah Properties Ltd as respondents.

The court had in its ruling on the matter on December 5, 2017, ordered an interim forfeiture of the properties which are “Penthouse 21, Building 5, Block C, 11 floor, Bella Vista, Banana Island, Ikoyi and Penthouse 22, Block B (Admiralty Estate) also in Ikoyi, to the Federal Government until the conclusion of investigation.”

When the case came up on Wednesday, counsel to the EFCC, Mr. ABC Ozioko, asked the court to order a final forfeiture of the properties to the Federal Government and an order prohibiting any disposal mortgage or sale of the said properties mentioned in the application.

Besides, Ozioko also asked the court to give the EFCC power to appoint a capable person or firm to manage the properties.

Mr. Emmanuel Bassey, who appeared as counsel to the second, third, and fourth respondents, said in his response to the prayer by the EFCC counsel that he had filed a counter-affidavit before the court and was not opposed to the application for final forfeiture.

Ruling on the matter, Justice Olatoregun, granting the final forfeiture order said, “I have observed the facts and exhibits attached and I am also mindful that the second, third and fourth respondents have no objections to the application.

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“I, therefore, have no hesitation in ordering a final forfeiture of the properties to the Federal Government.”

A Federal High Court in Lagos presided over by Justice AbdulAziz Anka, had also in August last year ordered for a forfeiture to the Federal Government of 56 buildings linked to Diezani.

There are still other court rulings ordering for the forfeiture of properties, including monies allegedly belonging to the former Petroleum Minister.

 

 

 

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