Court Orders Final Forfeiture Of Property Over N600m Fraud
Justice Deinde Dipeolu of a Federal High Court, Lagos, has ordered final forfeiture of a property located at Block G Plot 106B on Ija-Elepe Family Land at Elepe Town off lkorodu/ljede road Ikorodu, Lagos, to the federal government, over fraud of N600 million.
The judge pronounced the final forfeiture of the property after listening to the submission of Barrister Oladiran Ayodele of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID) Annex Alagbon-Ikoyi Lagos, in a suit marked FHC/L/CS/1278/2023.
The only respondent in the suit is Judith Oyebola Temilade Oyegoke.
The judge had on April 19, 2024, granted interim forfeiture of the building, sequel to a motion Exparte filed and moved before the court by Barrister Ayodele on on july 5, 2023.
The judge while granting the interim forfeiture of the property, order the the interim forfeiture order be published in a national newspaper for any interested person or party to show cause and tell the court why the property should not be finally forfeited.
At the resumed hearing of the matter for final forfeiture of the property today, Barrister Ayodele informed the court that he has a motion for the final forfeiture of the property.
Ayodele told the court that the motion is pursuant to sections 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006; Section 44(2)(E), Section 4 of the Police Act 2020, 44(2)(K) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Amended and under the Court’s inherent jurisdiction.
He also told the court that the interim forfeiture order on the property has been published in the Punch newspaper of April 30, 2024, as directed by the court. Adding that the motion is also supported with a nine paragraph-affidavit deposed to by AlabI Dauda, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) who led the team the investigated the fraud, and written address and several documentary exhibits.
Justice Dipeolu, after listening to the submission made by the police lawyer, held that the application has merit and deserves to be granted.
He therefore ordered the final forfeiture of the property to the federal government of Nigeria for the benefits of the fraud victim, Mrs. Doris Ogunba.
Parts of the deponent aveerments in the affidavit in support of the final forfeiture order reads: “That I am the Investigating Police Officer who investigated the case which gave vent to this suit by virtue of which I am conversant with the facts of this matter.
“That the Applicant through its General Investigation Section, FCID Annex, Alagbon Close, Ikoyi, Lagos on the 10th day of May, 2023 received a petition containing the criminal activities of the respondent who is now at large.
“That reading through the petition, it disclosed the alleged crime of Fraud to the tune of Six Hundred Million Naira (N600,000,000:00k) against the respondent. And that during the cause of investigation, the investigation report revealed that the respondent presented herself to the nominal complainant, one Mrs Doris Ogunba, as a staff of the Ministry of Labour and Productivity and claimed that the Ministry procures Visas to the United Kingdom to interested applicants who wants to work and live in the United Kingdom through the existence of a program organised by the Ministry.
“That the nominal complainant one Mrs Doris Ogunba instructed her counsel to represent her and he made a statement to the Police confirming the allegations contained in the Petition. And that the investigation report further revealed that the respondent used the false representation to obtain the sum of Six Hundred Million Naira (N600, 000, 000:00k) from the nominal complainant who sourced the funds from over Sixty interested Applicants who wants to travel to the United Kingdom.
“That the nominal complainant herself runs a travel agency both in the United Kingdom and in Nigeria. And that the nominal complainant, Mrs Doris Ogunba, was given two bank accounts by the respondent where she paid the sum of Six Hundred Million Naira (N600, 000, 000:00k) in the accounts. The account details are as follows:
(1) Account Number: 02444785390. Bank: Wema Bank PLC and Account name: Aree Ago ‘Multi Media Production Limited. Account number: 0123880649. Bank: Wema Bank Plc.
“That the respondent used the proceeds of this alleged crime to construct a house situated at block G plot 106B on Ija-Elepe Family Land at Elepe town off ikorodu/ljede road, Ikorodu Lagos. And that an accomplice of the alleged crime led myself and other officers to the location of the aforementioned house/building and after interrogation the security guard on duty at the location told us that the building belongs the Respondent.
“That till date the respondent has not been seen by officers of the FCID, as she is now hiding and making frantic efforts to avoid arrest and further investigation.
“That granting this Application for final forfeiture is in the interest of Justice.”
