Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja at the weekend granted the application of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seeking the final forfeiture of N732.85 million to the Federal Government.
Its acting spokesperson, Tony Orilade, in a statement yesterday, said the “forfeiture includes a plot of land situated at Katsina Road by Ogbomosho Road, Kaduna North Local Government worth N190 million, all believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities.”
He said the anti-graft agency secured the order following the usage of non-conviction forfeiture-based proceedings.
According to him, N732.85 million was allegedly stolen from the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) office by 17 respondents to the suit.
Orilade stated: “The 17 respondents to the suit include Paul Tarela Boroh; Hanafi Musa Moriki; Allotey Asari Edem; Joshua Ebiemeyefa; D. Wokoma; Bernard Ochoche; Cecilia Adebisi and Omofuma Faith.
“Others are Olusegun Opeyemi Okungbure; Beggi Erepatei; Matti Abdul; Stella Nnamatti; Theresa Okoro; Chika Nsirim; Omonyemen Osunbor; Musa Odiringa and Ode Martins Olajide.”
The judge had granted an interim forfeiture order on November 16, 2018 following the ex-parte application filed by the lawyer to the EFCC, Abbah Mohammed.
Orilade further disclosed that “investigations by the EFCC had uncovered the various sums of N124,000,000; N320,000,000; N68,768,916; N1,900,000; N5,125,000; N3,000,000; N28,595,755; N6,137,000; N40,000,000; N46,800,000; N16,315,000; N2,547,800; N3,900,000; N8,234,650; N6,800,000; N2,651,000 and N1,970,750 traced to the respondents.”
Adding that the ex-parte motion was brought before the court pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act 2006 and Section 44(2)(B)(K) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), he said the intention was to recover the sums and the property in question.
Justice Tsoho had also ordered the seizure of N732.85 million and asked the commission to advertise the ruling in the newspapers for any interested party to show cause within 14 days on why the money should not be forfeited to government.
