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Dayo Ojerinde and Oluwatosin Omojuyigbe
The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, on Thursday, set aside its order of interim forfeiture on the properties of Senator Olubukola Saraki, located on 17 and 17A MacDonald Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State.
The judgment came after counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr Nnaemeka Omewa, and counsel for Saraki, Mr Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN, had adopted their respective written addresses for and against the final forfeiture order sought by the EFCC.
Justice Abdullah Liman, however, held that the essence of an interim order of forfeiture was to preserve the property from being dissipated by the suspect and the burden was on the EFCC to satisfy the court that the properties were proceeds of unlawful or illegal activity under the corruption laws.
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Justice Mohammed Liman of the Federal High Court in Lagos has set aside its interim forfeiture order made against the properties of former Senate President Bukola Saraki, located at 17 and 17A MacDonald Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Justice Liman held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) failed to prove that the monies used to purchase the property were from the Kwara State government house account.
The anti-graft agency had sought to forfeit both properties to the Federal Government, on the allegation that they were acquired with funds Saraki diverted while he was Kwara State governor.
It obtained an interim forfeiture order for the properties on October 21, 2019.
Dismisses EFCCâs application for final forfeiture
The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos yesterday set aside its order of interim forfeiture made against the properties of former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Abubakar Saraki, located at 17 and 17A MacDonald Road, Ikoyi.
The judgment came after counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Nnaemeka Omewa, and counsel to Saraki, Mr. Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), had adopted their respective written addresses for and against the final forfeiture order sought by the EFCC against Sarakiâs properties.
In its judgment, the court presided over by Justice Mohammed Liman, held that the essence of an interim order of forfeiture is to preserve the property from being dissipated by the suspect.
The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has set aside its order of interim forfeiture made against two properties of former Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki.
Justice Mohammed Liman also dismissed an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission seeking final forfeiture of the properties to the Federal Government.
The properties are located at 17 and 17A MacDonald Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State.
In his judgment, Justice Liman held that the essence of an interim order of forfeiture is to preserve the property from being dissipated by the suspect and the burden is on the applicant, that is the EFCC, to satisfy the Court that the property is a proceed of unlawful or illegal activity under the corruption laws.