Corruption fight: Alleged N601m linked to civil servant finally forfeited to FG
- A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja orders the final forfeiture of N601 million found in the account of a government staff
- The court's ruling on the application for the forfeiture follows the implementation of the conditions given to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
- The money was found in two different accounts which the EFCC believes are used for running alleged fraudulent business activities
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, October 11, finally granted a ruling ordering the permanent forfeiture of N601 million found in two accounts operated by a civil servant, Okunrinboye Tomsin Titus.
The motion for the forfeiture of the money was filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The Nation reports that the N601 million is in two tranches of N550 million and N51 million and are deemed to be proceeds of fraud linked to Titus, an accountant with the federal ministry of special duties.
Wilson Uwujaren, spokesperson of the anti-graft agency, explained: “The trio of Titus Okunrinboye, Vincent Odafen and Muara Muhammed Gambo are being prosecuted by the EFCC for allegedly running and operating companies which were alleged to have been used to siphon public funds under the façade of contracts or consultancy.
“It will be recalled that the EFCC on June 28, 2019, applied for interim forfeiture before Justice Giwa-Ogunbanjo, who granted the application and stipulated that the Commission should place the application in a national newspaper."
Uwujaren said on October 7, 2019, the prosecution counsel, M S Abubakar, told the court that the EFCC had complied with the judge’s condition that the interim forfeiture application be advertised and that this was done in a newspaper.
"We have complied and we’re now back to apply for final forfeiture and the affidavit in support of the motion on notice, as the defendant has not filed any counter," he quoted Abubakar as saying.
At the sitting on Thursday, October 10, the counsel to the EFCC urged the court to grant the prayers of the anti-corruption agency since there was no counter-affidavit against the application.
Uwujaren said: “Justice Giwa granted the prayers of the prosecution and placed an order, directing the bank to transfer the forfeited funds into the cash assets final forfeiture of the Central Bank of Nigeria.”
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Legit.ng earlier reported how a Federal High Court in Lagos granted an ex-parte application filed by the EFCC for the forfeiture of N280 million liked to Obinwanne Okeke.
Okeke who is popularly known as Invictus Obi was arrested by operatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the US for conspiring to commit fraud of over $11 million.
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Source: Legit.ng
