Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of N775 million and three properties linked to former Accountant General of the Federation Jonah Otunla and Colonel Bello Fadile, aide to ex-National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki.
Spokesman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Wilson Uwujaren, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, saying the money and properties are a product of illicit activities of the duo.
The properties are located at No. 8 Ajay Crowther Street, Asokoro, Abuja; a Plot of land at Plot 1960 Cadastral Zone A05 Maitama District, FCT, Abuja; a hotel which is under construction with generating set, located at Plot 621, Road 37, Gwarimpa, FCT, Abuja and a twin 4 bedroom duplex with guard quarters located at Plot 736, 7th Avenue Gwarimpa, FCT, Abuja.
According to the statement, EFCC counsel, Christopher Mshelia, moved a motion for the final forfeiture of the assets in court on Monday.
He informed the court that the assets recovered by the anti-graft agency in the course of investigating contract fraud in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) under Sambo Dasuki, were proceeds of the unlawful activities of Colonel Fadile and Otunla.
EFCC spokesman said the N775 million was refunded by Otunla and Otunba Ade Adelakun (late) during the investigation, whilst the landed properties sought to be forfeited are “reasonably suspected to be proceeds of an unlawful activity received, retained, concealed and converted by the respondents from the office of the National Security Adviser to the President.”
The Commission had on July 20, 2020 secured an interim forfeiture order on the assets and also published the Order of the court on August 11, 2022, in a national newspaper, for the respondent to show cause why the money and properties should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
In granting the final forfeiture, Justice Okorowo said that the court was satisfied with the evidence before it and ordered the final forfeiture of the assets to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
