Court rejects EFCC’s application for permanent forfeiture of Saraki’s houses

Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Thursday ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to return two houses in Ilorin, Kwara State, to former senate president, Bukola Saraki.

The commission had in December last year secured an order of interim forfeiture of the houses – Plots No. 10 and No. 11 Abdulkadir Road, GRA, Ilorin, Kwara State, to the Federal Government.

The anti-graft agency had alleged that the buildings were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities during Saraki’s tenure as Kwara State Governor from 2003 and 2011.

In its application for permanent forfeiture of the houses, the EFCC had told the court how it received and investigated “a damning intelligence report, showing monumental fraud perpetrated in the treasury of the Kwara State Government from 2003 and 2011.”

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One of the commission’s operative, Olamide Sadiq said: “Whilst investigation was ongoing several fraudulent transactions were discovered.

“I know for a fact and verily believe that our investigation has revealed the following mind-boggling findings, among others.

In his ruling, the judge said he found no sufficient basis in the EFCC application and he could not “find my way through” to grant the permanent forfeiture order.

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