A photo combination of Godwin Emefiele and a court gavel
Justice Ayokunle Faji, who gave the order, also
instructed the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to publish the interim forfeiture order in a national newspaper.
By Valenine Amanze
The hammer of justice has struck the head of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) immediate past Governor, Godwin Emefiele, forcing him to forfeit $1.4 million linked to him to the Federal Government of Nigeria on Wednesday May 29, 2024.
Justice Ayokunle Faji, who gave the order, also instructed the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to publish the interim forfeiture order in a national newspaper for anyone interested in the money to appear before the Court and show cause within 14 days why the final order of forfeiture of the said sum would not be made.
The court gave the orders while granting an ex parte application moved by the counsel to the EFCC, Bilikisu Buhari-Bala.
The money forfeited in the interim is said to be in Donatone Limited’s account and domiciled in Titan Bank Limited.
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Justice Faji also adjourned the matter to June 25 for hearing of the final forfeiture of the money.
On May 23, 2024, Justice Yellim Bogoro of the same court had ordered an interim forfeiture of the $4,719,054, N830,875,611, and several properties also linked to the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele.
At today’s proceedings, Mrs. Buhari-Bala told the court that the orders sought for were pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other fraud-related Offences Act No. 14, 2006, and Section 44 (2)(B) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
She also said that the court had the statutory powers under the provisions of section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 to grant the reliefs being sought.
Her words: “That the funds sought to be forfeited are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.”
Mrs. Buhari-Bala also told the court that the motion Exparte was supported with an affidavit deposed to by one David Jayeoba, an investigator with the EFCC. valoa2000@yahoo.com
