Court orders permanent forfeiture of Emefiele’s $2.045m, seven properties

Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Friday ordered the final forfeiture of $2.045 million seven landed properties and share certificates linked to the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.

The judge had on August 15 ordered the temporary forfeiture of the money and the properties to the Federal Government.

This followed an exparte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).

The commission alleged that the money and other items were proceeds of unlawful activities.

The properties are – two fully detached duplexes of identical structures, lying being and situated at No. 17b Hakeem Odumosu Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos; an undeveloped land, measuring 1919.592sqm with Survey Plan No. DS/LS/340 at Oyinkan Abayomi Drive (Formerly Queens Drive), Ikoyi, Lagos; a bungalow at No. 65a Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, (Formerly Queens Drive), Ikoyi, Lagos, and a four-bedroom duplex at 12a Probyn Road, Ikoyi.

READ ALSO: Ex-CBN secretary tells court how Emefiele allegedly paid money into niece’s account

Others are an industrial complex on 22 plots of land in Agbor, Delta State; eight units of an undetached apartment at No. 8a Adekunle Lawal Road, Ikoyi, and a full duplex together with all its appurtenances on a plot of land measuring 2217.87sqm at 2a Bank Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Justice Dipeolu also ordered the EFCC to publish the notice in major national newspapers for parties interested in the properties to show cause why they should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.

In Friday’s proceeding, he ordered the permanent forfeiture of the funds and the two share certificates of Queensdorf Global Fund Limited Trust.

The judge held that the former CBN governor or any other interested party did not contest the same after the interim forfeiture order.

He said Emefiele did not convince the court he acquired the properties with his lawful earnings from Zenith Bank and the CBN.

Justice Dipeolu equally held that the former CBN Governor failed to provide documents or links to show that he owned the properties.

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