Judge okays forfeiture of N2.2b allegedly recovered from Air Force ex-chief

The Federal High Court, Lagos has ordered the temporary forfeiture of N2.2 billion allegedly recovered from former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu.

Justice Mojisola Olatoregun gave the order based on an ex-parte application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“An interim order is made forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria the total sum of N2, 244,500,000 found and recovered by the commission from the first respondent (Amosu) which sum is reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity,” the judge ruled.

Justice Olatoregun also granted an interim order for the temporary forfeiture of N190, 828,978.15 recovered from a former Nigerian Air Force’s Director of Finance and Budget, Air Commodore Olugbenga Gbadebo.

She also ordered the temporary forfeiture of N101 million recovered from Solomon Enterprises, a company linked to Amosu.

The anti-graft agency said the sum “is reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.”

The judge directed the EFCC to publish the interim order in two national newspapers so that the respondents or anyone interested could show cause why the final order of forfeiture should not be made in favour of the Federal Government.

Subsequently, Justice Olatoregun adjourned to June 29, 2018 for further proceedings.

The defendants are being accused of using the companies to convert and conceal the money.

Amosu and Adigun were said to have, between July 17 and September 16, 2014, allegedly withdrawn over N663.4 million from the force’s accounts to purchase property at 50-52 Tenterden Grove, London (NW4 1TH) and 93B Shirehall Park, LondonNW4 2QU, United Kingdom.

They were also accused of buying 40A, Bourdillon, Ikoyi, with N900 million, and a property at Sinari Daranijo in Victoria Island with N1.5 billion.

The EFCC equally said they bought a property named Cappadol Mall at Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Wuse II Abuja, for N750 million, as well as a property worth over N1.7 billion at Agobogba Street, Parkview, Ikoyi, Lagos, drawing from same accounts.