EFCC Seeks Final Forfeiture of Properties, N11.4m
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Tuesday, April 24, 2018, moved an application before Justice M.S. Hassan of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.seeking a final forfeiture of some properties and the sum of N 11,040,000.00 (Eleven Million, Forty Thousand Naira) belonging to Capt. Olotu Olumuyiwa Morakinyo, Capt. Ebony Emmanuel Aneke and Lakewood Garden Ventures Limited to the Federal Government.
The first respondent, Morakinyo, served as Maritime Guard Commander, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, from January to September, 2013.
The second respondent, Aneke, served as Maritime Guard Commander, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, from September 2013 to December, 2014.
The third respondent, Lakewood, is a company jointly owned by the second respondent and his sister, Jimmie Aneke.
The judge had, on Wednesday, March 28, 2018, ordered the interim forfeiture of the properties and the money.
In a 38-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Idris Adamu, an operative of the EFCC, the applicant had sought an interim order of the court forfeiting to the Federal Government a three- bedroom terrace duplex at Lekki Gardens Limited Estate , Phase IV, Lekki-Ajah, Lagos recovered by the Commission from the first respondent.
The applicant had also sought an interim order forfeiting to the Federal Government another five-bedroom duplex at Lekki, Lagos State recovered by the Commission from the second respondent.
Also, the applicant had sought an interim order of the court forfeiting to the Federal Government the sum of N11,040,000.00( Eleven Million Forty Thousand Naira) recovered by the Commission from the third respondent.
In his ruling , the judge had granted all the prayers sought by the applicant.
Justice Hassan had further directed the applicant to notify the respondents to appear before the court and show cause within 14 days why the properties should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government.
The judge had also directed the publication in any national newspaper of the interim order for the respondents or anyone who is interested in the properties to show cause within 14 days why the final order of the forfeiture of the properties as well as the money should not be made in favour of the Federal Government.
At the resumed hearing today, counsel to the applicant, Rotimi Oyedepo, brought the application before the court for the final forfeiture, having published the interim forfeiture order in the The Nation newspaper of Thursday, April 19, 2018, as ordered by the court.
He also informed the court that the first and second respondents had been served the motion on notice and that they acknowledged service.
Oyedepo added that “The respondents were also informed that the case would be going on today. But they made no mention of their supposed absence in court today.”
Consequently , Justice Hassan adjourned the case to May 3, 2018 for ruling.
The Commission had launched investigation into the activities of the respondents, who were posted to NIMASA as Maritime Guard Commanders between September 2011 and September 2015, after receiving intelligence report of a case of conspiracy, stealing and money laundering against them.