ICPC asks court for leave to seize N840m traced to the account of Benue judge’s maid

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Monday approached a Federal High Court in Abuja for permission to seize the sum N840 million traced to a retired President of the Benue State Customary Court of Appeal, Mrs. Margaret Igbeta.

In an ex-parte motion filed at the court, ICPC said the order would stop Mrs. Igbeta from accessing the money allegedly obtained through fraudulent activities in the course of her official duties.

ICPC stated that the request for the interim forfeiture is pursuant to Section 48 (1), (2) and (3) (a) and (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and Section 6 (6)(a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.

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Mrs. Igbeta was accused of operating a proxy fixed deposit account in the name of her maid, one Theodora Atsu, with Ecobank Plc, where she accumulated N870, 321, 492.15 between 2008 and 2019.

She was said to have opened the account with her passport and the name of Atsu on the 5th of March, 2008, with an initial deposit of N8 million. She subsequently made several other huge deposits including N123, 745, 925.57 and N5 million, in the months of March and May, 2008.

According to the Commission, the money was far above her legitimate earnings both as a judge and President of the Customary Court of Appeal within the period that the account was operated and would be used to meet the infrastructural needs of the citizens and development of the nation.

ICPC, therefore, prayed the court to grant the order in the interest of the nation.

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