Massive victory for Saraki as he defeats EFCC in major Federal High Court verdict
- The EFCC on Thursday, March 4, lost its bid to secure the final forfeiture of Bukola Saraki's Ikoyi houses
- In its ruling, the Federal High Court in Lagos stated that the agency has not presented evidence to prove that the properties were gotten by illegal means
- The court's verdict was delivered by Justice Liman Mohammed
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It was an overwhelming victory for Bukola Saraki on Thursday, March 4, when a Federal High Court in Lagos dismissed the petition of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC, through its lawyer, Nnaemeka Omewa, had filed for the final forfeiture of the former Senate president's house in Ikoyi but the prayer was turned down during a hearing presided over by Justice Liman Mohammed, Daily Trust reports.
Delivering its verdict, the court stated that the objective of an order of forfeiture was to preserve the property from being squandered by the accused.
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The court also made it clear that the burden to prove that the said properties were proceeds of illegal gains lies on the EFCC.
Meanwhile, a witness brought to testify in the trial of Saraki before a Lagos division of the court had narrated how Saraki allegedly purchased his Lagos properties with funds drawn from the coffers of the Kwara state government.
The witness, Olamide Sadiq, an investigator with the anti-graft agency, EFCC, presented documents to the court on how money was withdrawn from the state treasury and deposited into Saraki’s domiciled bank account in one of the new generation banks.
According to a statement released by the EFCC and seen by Legit.ng, Sadiq appeared before Justice Muhammed for his court session.
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The case was adjourned till Wednesday, December 16, 2020, for final written addresses.
A number of Nigerians commented on the case via social media.
Odili Ijeoma wrote:
“Nigeria politicians /leaders know how to cover their track, but the truth is all are public funds looters and they are still looting.”
Onyirioha Nnamdi is a graduate of Literature and English Language at the University of Lagos. He is a Politics/Current Affairs Editor who writes on news and political topics for Legit.ng. He brings into his reporting a wealth of experience in creative and analytical writing. Nnamdi has a major interest in local and global politics.
Source: Legit.ng
