Court Fixes Sept 22 For Hearing Of EFCC Case Against Alison-Madueke Over N2.6bn Assets
Justice Chuka Obiozor of Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed September 22 for the hearing of an application for the final forfeiture of four building properties scattered between Lagos and River States, and Abuja linked to the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke and her associates.
Justice Anka, had last month ordered that the the assets, valued at N2. 611, 592, 199 billion, which are linked to former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke are suspected to be proceeds of corruption be temporary forfeited to the federal government after hearing an application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
The properties ordered to be temporary forfeited to the Federal government of Nigeria are: 21 mixed housing units of eight numbers of four bedrooms penthouse apartment; six numbers of three bedrooms apartments; two numbers of three bedrooms apartment and one numbers of four bedrooms apartment, all ensuit, located at 7, Thurnburn Street, and 5 Raymond Street, Yaba, valued at N937 million.
Another property 16-four bedrooms terrace, located at Heritage Court Estate, Omerelu Street, Diobu GRA, Port-Harcourt, River State, valued at N928 million. Another 13-three bedrooms with one room maid’s quarter, situated at Mabushi Gardens Estate, Plot 1205, Cadastral Zone B06, Mabushi, Abuja, valued at N650 million; and six flats of three bedrooms and one boys quarter, located at Plot 808 (135)
Four companies, Chapel Properties Ltd, Blue Nile Estate Ltd, Azinge Meadows Ltd and Vistapoint Property Development were allegedly used to acquire the properties.
The anti-graft agency listed all four companies as respondents alongside the Former Petroleum Minister and her acquaintance, Mr. Donald Amamgbo.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Friday, counsel to the respondents, Emmanuel Bassey had informed Justice Obiozor that had a pending application seeking to compel the EFCC to serve the ex-parte application which was used to secure the interim order of forfeiture of the said properties on his clients.
Bassey said is application is based on the earlier order made by another vacation judge, Justice AbdulAziz Anka of the same court, wherein he declared that the ex-parte application be served on the respondents.
But counsel to the anti-graft agency, ABC Ozioko, submitted that there was no such order mandating the commission to serve the ex-parte application on the respondents and further argued that the companies involved have no directors and does not even exist.
Ozioko maintained that, “We have obtained an interim order in respect of this suit and the case adjourned until today for report and to also allow the respondents to show cause why the properties should not be finally forfeited.
“But this morning, we were served with a motion on notice by one Mr. Nnamdi Eze Anochie.
“We ask for time to respond and to take the application for final forfeiture,” the lawyer said.
However, Justice Obiozor adjourned the case till September 22 for the hearing of the respondents’ application.
In an affidavit attached with the Ex-parte application, and deposed to by Sambo Muazu Mayana, an investigator with the agency, the EFCC averred that sometimes in 2016, an intelligence report was received against both Diezani and Amamgbo, and that upon analysing the intelligence report, a search warrant was executed at the office and premises of Amamgbo.
The deponent also averred that among the documents recovered from Amamgbo was an undated report titled “Highly Confidential Attorney Work Product- August Report”.
He stated further that in the said ‘highly confidential report contained 18 companies and several Properties located in United Kingdom (UK), Nigeria and United State of America (USA).
The EFCC added that in the course of interview, Amamgbo had informed the agency that he registered the 18 companies to assist the former Petroleum Minister, in holding title of the temporary forfeited properties.
