Court orders final forfeiture of hotel belonging to Kwara Civil Servant to FG

By Steve Oni, Ilorin

A High Court sitting in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, has ordered the final forfeiture of the hotel belonging to a civil servant in the state to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Also forfeited to the Federal Government is a Landed property comprising three bedroom flat, two wings of three bedroom flats and a room and parlour self contain.

Delivering his judgment, Justice Sikiru Oyinloye said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had been able to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, stressing that the evidence presented before the Court were strong and reliable.

The Judge said: “The interim order of this honourable court was published in The Nation Newspaper while the court’s processes were served alongside with the hearing notice to the defendant, but despite this, the defendant did not show up to explain why the said properties should not be forfeited to the Federal Government.

“The evidence of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was not controverted or challenged by the defendant or any interested parties to the suit, this honourable Court is of the opinion that the defendant was fully informed about the proceedings, in view of the forgoing, this honourable Court hereby ordered that the said properties be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

Earlier, Prosecuting Counsel, Nnemeka Omewa, in moving the motion dated 8th of September 2019, had urged Justice Oyinloye to grant the prayers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Part of the Prayers stated: “An order of this honourable Court forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria an unregistered Toyota Camry 2008 model, found, traced and recovered by the Commission from the respondent which property is reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activity.

“An order of this honourable Court forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria a Gold coloured Parsche Cayanne Vehicle found, traced and recovered by the Commission from the respondent which property is reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activity.”

Justice Oyinloye, relying on the motion and 13 exhibits attached, also ordered that the cars recovered from the respondent should be forfeited to the Federal Government