Justice Yelim Bogoro of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has ordered the final forfeiture of $4.7 million, N830 million, and multiple properties linked to the embattled former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele.
The judge ordered final forfeiture of the properties belonging to Emefiele while delivering judgment on the matter on Friday. He held that all the properties and funds are proceeds of unlawful activities which are bound to be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Justice Bogoro had earlier dismissed an application filed on the day of the judgment, saying that it was tantamount to arrest of the judgment. He granted the final forfeiture application of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), represented by its counsel, Mrs. Bilkisu Buhari-Bala.
The funds forfeited to the Federal Government were held in First Bank, Titan Bank, and Zenith Bank accounts managed by individuals and entities including Omoile Anita Joy, Deep Blue Energy Service Limited, Exactquote Bureau De Change Limited, Lipam Investment Services Limited, Tatler Services Limited, Rosajul Global Resources Limited and TIL Communication Nigeria Limited.
Also, the properties affected by the forfeiture order include 94 units of an 11-floor building under construction at 2 Otunba Elegushi 2nd Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos; AM Plaza, an 11-floor office space on Otunba Adedoyin Crescent, Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, Lagos; Imore Industrial Park 1 on Esa Street, Imoore Land, Amuwo Odofin Local Council, Lagos; Mitrewood and Tatler Warehouse (Furniture Plant at Bogije) near Elemoro, Okolomi Village, Ibeju-Lekki Local Council, Lagos; and two properties purchased from Chevron Nigeria, located in Lakes Estate, Lekki, Lagos.
Additional properties include a plot at Lekki Foreshore Estate Scheme, Foreshore Estate, Eti-Osa, Local Council, Lagos; an estate at 100 Cottonwood Coppel Texas Drive, Coppel, Texas, owned by Lipam Investment Services; land at 1 Bunmi Owulude Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos; and a property at 8 Bayo Kuku Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
The judge held that he found that the activities of the respondents were unlawful.
“I hold that they are not legitimate business activities. I hold that Anita Omoile is a close crony of the former CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, who has been given undue influence to unlawfully sway dollars from CBN.
“Consequently, I find that all the monies and properties in the schedule are finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria,” he ruled. The EFCC, through its counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), had cited Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and Section 44(2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution in its application, seeking an interim forfeiture on the grounds that the funds and properties were suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
Justice Bogoro found merit in EFCC’s application and ordered the interim forfeiture and mandated the publication of the order in a national newspaper. Following the failure of the defendants or anyone else to prove that the funds legitimately belonged to them, the judge made the interim order permanent.
