A Federal High Court in Abuja Thursday overturned an interim forfeiture of 40 landed properties given to former Senate Deputy President Ike Ekweremadu.
Following the revelation that the Forfeiture Decree was acquired fraudulently by the Federal Government against the properties, Justice Inyang Ekwo annulled the order.
While lifting the order, the Judge stated that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which acquired the order on behalf of the Federal Government, omitted material that contributed to its approval.
Justice Ekwo specifically stated that the EFCC, which was fully aware that Ekweremadu was in jail in the United Kingdom, neglected to provide critical facts to court.
With his arrest in London, the Judge concurred with Ekweremadu’s counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), that the former Deputy President of the Senate would not be able to defend his ownership of the disputed properties.
Following an ex-parte case brought before him by the EFCC, Justice Ekwo issued an interim forfeiture order in favor of the Federal Government on November 4, last year.
The Judge specifically requested that anybody with an interest in the seized properties notify the court within 14 days of the publication of the interim forfeiture order.
The former Deputy Senate President and his wife are on trial in the United Kingdom for accused organ harvesting. Meanwhile, the Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA) has chastised the EFCC for misleading the Court, urging for the anti-graft agency’s hierarchy to be censured for judicial deception.
