A Federal High Court in Abuja has brushed aside the interim order of forfeiture issued on property belonging to the former deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu.
Ruling on Friday, presiding judge Inyang Ekwo, held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had hidden facts when it applied for an interim forfeiture of the assets.
Recall that Ekweremmadu’s son, Lloyd had filed a motion on notice tagged: FHC/ABJ/CS/1242/2022 through his lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo pleading the court for an order to set aside the interim forfeiture order in the motion predicted on four grounds. Lloyd averred that the Crimes commission, EFCC in its original motion illegally and deliberately omitted very serious facts/evidence which negates the granting of the application.
This was one among the several reasons he urged the court to set aside the forfeiture order and halt proceedings on the matter until his father’s ordeal in the United Kingdom was resolved.
Meanwhile, EFCC had said that it was not opposed to Ekweremmadu’s cry to halt the proceedings until he returned to the country but the Crime’s commission had countered the bid to have the interim forfeiture order overturned.
Hence, in the ruling, the judge agreed with Lloyd’s suggestions and overturned the interim forfeiture order.