Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal Excessive Courtroom in Lagos has ordered the non permanent forfeiture of the sum of $2.04 million allegedly linked to a former governor of the Central Financial institution of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to the federal authorities.
Justice Aluko additionally ordered the seizure of seven selection landed properties within the Ikoyi space of the state and two share certificates of Queensdorf World Fund Restricted belief.
The lands are listed as “two absolutely indifferent duplexes of similar constructions, mendacity being and located at No. 17b Hakeem Odumosu Avenue, Lekki Section 1, Lagos; an undeveloped/naked land, measuring 1919.592sqm with Survey Plan No. DS/LS/340 LYING, being located at Oyinkan Abayomi Drive (previously Queens Drive), Ikoyi, Lagos.
Others embrace a bungalow mendacity, being and located at No. 65a Oyinkan Abayomi Drive (Previously Queens Drive), Ikoyi, Lagos; 4 bed room duplex mendacity, being and located at 12a Probyn Street, Ikoyi; Industrial complicated beneath development on a 22-plot of land, mendacity, being and situate in Agbor, Delta State; 8 items of the undetached residence on a plot measuring 2457.60sqm of mendacity, being and situate at No. 8a Adekunle Lawal Street, Ikoyi, and a full duplex along with all its appurtenances on a plot of land measuring 2217.87sqm mendacity, being and situate at 2a Financial institution Street, Ikoyi, Lagos.
The decide granted the interim forfeiture orders on Wednesday after listening to an utility marked FHC/L/MISC/500/24, filed by the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC) via considered one of its attorneys, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).
Whereas transferring the appliance, Oyedepo advised the court docket that the cash and different gadgets sought to be forfeited have been moderately suspected to be proceeds of illegal actions.
The lawyer additionally knowledgeable the court docket that the movement ex-parte is supported by an affidavit deposed to by an investigator connected to the Lagos workplace of the EFCC, Idi Musa.
Within the affidavit, the deponent averred that he was one of many operatives of the EFCC assigned to analyze the damning intelligence report acquired by the Fee in respect of monumental fraudulent actions perpetrated by some senior officers of the Central Financial institution of Nigeria via which huge sums of cash have been fraudulently transformed and transferred for private use.
Musa additional claimed, “That the Fee, while investigating the alleged monumental fraud carried out by the immediate-past Governor of the Central Financial institution of Nigeria (CBN) and his cronies, traced and found a number of properties moderately suspected to have been acquired and or developed with proceeds of illegal actions.
“That the stated properties particularised in Schedules ‘A’ and ‘B’ herein, having been moderately suspected to have been acquired/developed with proceeds of illegal actions, at the moment are sought to be forfeited to the Federal Authorities of Nigeria within the interim.
“In the midst of this investigation, it was revealed that the erstwhile CBN governor negotiated kickbacks in return for allocation of Overseas Trade to some corporations in determined want of international change for his or her lawful and bonafide companies.
“That upon investigation, it was revealed that one Ifeanyi Omeke, a Deputy Normal Supervisor and Head, Litigation of Zenith Financial institution Plc, who labored carefully with Godwin Emefiele, ran a number of errands for him, which included buy and perfection of title paperwork for a number of properties, positioned in intellectual areas of Lagos. And that upon a search performed within the workplace premises of Mr. Ifeanyi Collins Omeke by the operatives, a number of seals for varied corporations, together with however not restricted to Queensdorf World Fund Restricted, have been recovered.
“That the stated seals have been stored within the custody of Mr Ifeanyi Collins Omeke by Godwin Emefiele. The investigation has revealed that each one seven corporations listed above are suspected to be shell corporations utilized by Godwin Emefiele as autos for cash laundering and holding proceeds of his illicit actions.
“That someday in 2018, one Olusola Bodunde acquired a parcel of land positioned at Hakeem Odumosu Avenue, Lekki Section 1, Lagos and partnered with one Idowu Sharafa to develop three items of 5-bedroom duplexes with connected BQ on the land. And that someday in 2020, one Ifeanyi Omeke approached Mr Olusola Bodunde and paid N460,000,000 (4 Hundred And Sixty Million Naira) for 2 of the three developed duplexes, bought within the identify of Amrash Ventures Restricted, all on behalf and the directions of Godwin Emefiele.
“That the sum of Two Million, Forty-5 Thousand {Dollars} ($2,045,000.00) and the shares certificates have been additionally recovered within the workplace of Mr Collins Ifeanyi Omeke on the Zenith Financial institution Head workplace on Ajose Adeogun Avenue, Victoria Island, Lagos.
“That a lot of the proceeds of Godwin Emefiele’s unlawful actions have been invested in buying varied properties now sought to be forfeited to the Federal Authorities of Nigeria. And that the properties now sought to be forfeited weren’t acquired with proceeds of any professional earnings however slightly from funds moderately suspected to have been derived from proceeds of illegal actions.
“That from findings of our investigation, I additionally know as a truth and definitely imagine that the properties sought to be forfeited acquired within the identify of cooperating entities to hide the illegal origin of the funds used for his or her acquisition. And that the title doc in respect of the properties listed in Schedule A herein was recovered by the group in the midst of this investigation.
“That I do know as a truth and certainly believed that the funds used for the acquisition of the properties sought to be forfeited are moderately suspected to be proceeds of illegal actions and never the professional earnings of Godwin Emefiele.
“That a lot of the fraudulently earned funds have been invested in buying the assorted properties now sought to be forfeited to the Federal Authorities of Nigeria. And that the properties have been acquired by Godwin Emefiele and stored within the custody of Mr ColliMrIfeanyi Omeke, with sums traced and fairly believed to be proceeds of illegal actions, to wit, kickback from allocation of Overseas change.
“That investigation additional revealed that each one these corporations have been used within the intermediate steps to good this fraud scheme. And that it’s within the curiosity of justice to grant this utility,” he stayed.
After listening to the Oyedepo, Justice Aluko granted the interim utility and in addition directed the EFCC to publish the order in a nationwide newspaper to allow anybody within the properties to look earlier than the Courtroom and present trigger inside 14 days; why the ultimate order of forfeiture of the stated properties shouldn’t be made in favour of the Federal Authorities of Nigeria.
He then adjourned additional listening to of the matter to September 5.
