Court adjourns ruling in forfeiture of Alison-Madueke’s properties to September 22

Jusice Chuka Obiozor of the Federal High Court, Lagos, yesterday fixed September 22, 2017, to hear the application for the final forfeiture of four properties valued at N2.6b, linked to former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Allison-Madueke and her associates.The properties are located in Lagos and River states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed the application seeking to have the properties finally forfeited to the Federal Government.

The judge also declared that he would hear the response of the third, fourth and sixth respondents in the matter that day.Counsel to the respondents, Emmanuel Bassey, had informed the vacation judge that there was a pending application requesting the EFCC to serve the respondents with the ex parte application, which was used to secure an interim order of forfeiture of the properties.

He also claimed that the request became imperative following an order 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 EFCC, A.B.C. Ozioko, who stated that there was no such order mandating the commission to serve the application on the respondents, argued that the companies involved have no directors and do not even exist.

“We have obtained an interim order in respect of this suit and the case adjourned until today for report and to allow the respondents to show cause why the properties should not be finally forfeited.

“But this morning, we were served a motion on notice by one Nnamdi Eze Anochie. We ask for time to respond and take the application for final forfeiture,” Ozioko submitted.

Justice Anka had ordered that four buildings Lagos and River and Abuja, valued at N2.6b, linked to Alison-Madueke and her associates be temporary forfeited to the Federal Government as they were proceeds of corruption.

Justice Anka issued the order while granting an application marked FHC/L/CS/1279/17, filed and argued before the court by Ozioko.Respondents in the suit are Diezani Alison Madueke; Donald Chidi Amamgbo; Chapel Properties Limited; Blue Nile Estate Limited; Azinga Meadows Limited and Vistapoints Property Development Limited.

The properties ordered to be temporary forfeited 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 of four bedrooms apartment located on 7, Thurnburn Street, and 5 Raymond Street, Yaba, valued at N937 million, among others.The EFCC argued that the properties were purchased by Alison-Madueke and her cronies.