Justice Ayokunle Faji ordered the forfeiture of the money to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The judge also ordered the EFCC to publish the interim forfeiture order in a national newspaper for anyone interested in the money sought to be forfeited to appear before the Court and show cause within 14 days why the final order of forfeiture of the said sum should not be made.
The court made the above orders while granting an ex parte application moved by the counsel to the EFCC, Bilikisu Buhari-Bala.
The money forfeited in the interim is said to be in Donatone Limited’s account and domiciled in Titan Bank Limited.
Justice Faji has adjourned the matter to June 25 for hearing of the final forfeiture of the money.
On May 23, Justice Yellim Bogoro of the same court had ordered an interim forfeiture of the sums of $4,719,054, N830,875,611, and several properties also linked to the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele.
At today’s proceedings, Mrs. Buhari-Bala told the court that the orders sought for are pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other fraud-related Offences Act No. 14, 2006, and Section 44 (2)(B) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
She also said that the court had the statutory powers under the provisions of section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 to grant the reliefs being sought.
She said, “That the funds sought to be forfeited are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.”
Mrs. Buhari-Bala also told the court that the motion Exparte is supported with an affidavit deposed to by one David Jayeoba, an investigator with the EFCC.
In the affidavit, the deponent stated that his commission received a credible and directed intelligence which led to the tracing of funds reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities warehoused in the Donatone Limited (DL) Titan Trust Bank account, which funds are reasonably suspected to be part of proceeds of unlawful activities.
justice to grant this application.”
It would be recalled that Justice Yelim Bogoro had on May 25, 2024, ordered interim forfeiture of $4.7m, N830m, and some properties assets linked to Emefiele
The monies forfeited to the Federal Government in the interim were said to be warehoused in First Bank; Titan Bank and Zenith Bank, being operated by Omoile Anita Joy, Deep Blue Energy Service Limited, Exactquote Bureau De Change Ltd; Lipam Investment Services Limited, Tatler Services Limited, Rosajul Global Resources Ltd and TIL Communication Nigeria Ltd.
While the properties forfeited in the interim are: His properties forfeited to the Federal Government include 94 Units of an 11-floor building under Construction at 2, Otunba Elegushi 2nd Avenue (Formerly Club) Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; AM Plaza, 11-floor office space, situate on 1E, Otunba Adedoyin Crescent, Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, Lagos; Imore Industrial Park 1, Esa Street, Imoore Land purchased with (Deep Bive Industrial Town, Oriade LCDA, Amuwo Odofin LGA, Lagos, Mitrewood and Tatler Warehouse (Furniture Plant at Bogije) near Elemoro Lagos, Owolomi Village, ibeju-Lekki LGA, Lagos and two properties purchased from Chevron Nigeria, Closed PFA Fund, Block B. Lot twin completed property in Lakes Estate, Lekki, Lagos.
