A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the interim
forfeiture of 56 houses allegedly bought between 2011 and 2013 for $21,982,224
million (N3,320,000,000 billion) by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources,
Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.
Justice Abdulaziz Anka, a vacation judge, made the order
yesterday following an ex parte application filed on August 16 by the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Anka authorised the EFCC to appoint a firm to
manage the property and gave the respondents 14 days to show cause why the
property should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
The judge directed the agency to publish the order in any
national newspaper and adjourned till September 8.
The application, brought pursuant to section 17 of the
Advanced Fee Fraud and other Fraud related offences Act 2006 and Section
44(2)(k) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) sought a temporary transfer of
the property to the Federal Government.
Listed as first to sixth respondents in the suit are
Diezani, Donald Chidi Amamgbo and four firms— Chapel Properties Limited, Blue
Nile Estate Limited, Azinga Meadows Limited and Vistapoint Property Development
Limited.
EFCC counsel Mr. Anselem Ozioko told Justice Anka that
Mrs Alison-Madueke paid $16,441,906 (N2.6billion) cash in several tranches and
another $5,540318 (N840,000,000) cash for the properties through four “front”
firms which held the titles in trust for her.
The firms are Chapel Properties, Blue Nile Estate, Azinga
Meadows and Vistapoint Property Development.
Ozioko said the commission had discovered 14 other firms
incorporated for the ex-minister for holding the titles to those property.
Mrs. Alison-Madueke, he added, bought the properties from
the proceeds of suspected unlawful activity during her tenure as minister.
The properties include 29 terraced houses comprising
eight four-bedroom penthouse apartments, six three-bedroom apartments, two
three-bedroom maisonettes, two twin bedroom apartments and one four-bedroom apartment.
The houses, located at No. 7, Thurnbull Street and 5,
Raymond Street, Yaba, were allegedly bought by Mrs. Alison-Madueke for the US
dollar equivalent of N937,000,000 through Chapel Properties Ltd.
Others are 16 four-bedroom terrace houses in Heritage
Court Estate, Plot 2C, Omerelu Street, Diobu, Government Residential Area (GRA)
Phase 1 extension, Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, bought for N928,000,000 through
Blue Nile Estate Ltd.
The former minister allegedly bought 13 three-bedroom
terrace houses with one-room maid’s quarters ensuite for N650,000,000 through
Azinga Meadows Ltd.
The commission also stated that Mrs. Alison-Madueke paid
N805,000,000 through Vistapoint Property Development Ltd for six flats of three
bedrooms and one boys’ quarters each, a lawn tennis court, a gym and “matured
garden”.
According to an affidavit in support of the application
by an EFCC investigative officer, Mr Sombori Mayana, the commission got wind of
the properties in 2016 following its execution of a search warrant on the
office and premises of the former minister’s acquaintance, Mr Donald Chidi
Amamgbo.
Mayana said: “…among the documents recovered from the
office of Mr Donald Chidi Amamgbo was an undated report titled ‘HIGHLY
CONFIDENTIAL ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT – AUGUST REPORT’
“The report contained a list of 18 companies and several
properties located in the United Kingdom, Nigeria and the United States of
America.
“During the course of his interview, Mr Donald Amamgbo
told us that he registered the 18 companies to assist Mrs Diezani
Alison-Madueke in holding titles of the properties.”
On August 7, Justice Chuka Obiozor of the Federal High
Court in Lagos ordered the permanent forfeiture to the Federal Government of a
$37.5million Banana Island property bought in 2013 by the former Petroleum
Minister.
The property designated as Building 3, Block B, Bella
Vista Plot 1, Zone N, Federal Government Layout, Banana Island Foreshore
Estate, consists of 24 apartments, 18 flats and six penthouses.
The judge also ordered that $2,740,197.96 and
N84,537,840.70 realised as rent on the property be permanently forfeited to the
government.
On August 8, Justice Obiozor ordered Sterling Bank Plc to
temporarily forfeit to the Federal Government a sum of N7,646,700,000 said to
have been illegally kept in the bank’s custody by Mrs. Alison-Madueke.
He adjourned till August 28, for the bank and any other
interested party to appear before him to show cause why the funds should not be
permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
Also on August 8, it was revealed that the EFCC had
traced N47.2 billion and $487.5million to the ex-minister.
The agency also claimed that Mrs. Alison-Madueke has
N23,446,300,000 and $5milion (about N1.5billion) cash in various banks which
are yet to be forfeited.
The commission is also investigating properties in
Britain and the United States allegedly purchased with stolen government funds.
Mrs. Alison-Madueke has consistently denied the
allegations.
Source:The Nation
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