Court Orders Temporary Forfeiture Of Another Set of $21.3m Diezani Properties
Adetokunbo Fakeye
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Tuesday ordered the temporary forfeiture of another set of properties and assets linked to a former petroleum resources minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
Other respondents in the suit are Mr. Donald Chidi Amamgbo, Chapel Properties Limited, Blue Nile Estate Limited, Azinga Meadows limited and Vistapoint Property Development Limited.
The order issued by Justice Abdulaziz Anka is based on an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, praying the court for the forfeiture of the assets which are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.
The assets valued at $ 21,392,224 (twenty one million, three hundred and ninety two thousand, two hundred and twenty four United States Dollars), consist of a twenty-one (21) mixed housing units located at No. 7 Thurnburn Street and No. 5 Raymond Street, Yaba, Lagos; sixteen(16) units of four bedrooms terrace houses located at Heritage Court Estate, Plot 2C, Omerelu Street, Diobu Government Residential Area, Phase 1 Extension, Port-Harcourt, Rivers State; thirteen(13) Housing units of three bedrooms terrace houses with one- room maid’s quarters ensuite per unit, located at Mabushi Gardens Estate, Plot 1205 Cadastral Zone B06 Mabushi, Abuja and six(6) flats of three(3) bedrooms and one boys quarters each, lawn tennis court, gym, matured garden and its appurtenances located at Plot 808 (135) Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Among other things, the order prohibits any disposal, conveyance, mortgage, lease, sale, alienation or otherwise of the assets/properties and authorizes the EFCC to appoint a competent person(s)/firm to manage the assets and properties.
The court also mandates the Commission to publish the order in any National Newspaper for any interested party to appear before the Court within 14 days to state why the temporary forfeiture should not be made permanent in favour of the federal government.
Justice Anka adjourned the case to September 8, 2017.