Nigeria: Court Orders EFCC to Return Saraki's Houses

Date: 2020-07-17

The Federal High Court in Lagos Thursday upturned its earlier order forfeiting to the federal government two houses in Ilorin belonging to a former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

The court, in a judgment by Justice Rilwan Aikawa, released the houses back to Saraki, while delivering judgment on an application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), seeking to permanently forfeit the houses to the federal government.

The EFCC had in December last year secured a court order for the interim forfeiture of the houses at Plots No. 10 and No. 11 Abdulkadir Road, GRA, Ilorin, Kwara State after telling the court that they were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities allegedly perpetrated by Saraki while he was Kwara State Governor between 2003 and 2011.

But attempts by the EFCC to convert the temporary forfeiture order to a permanent forfeiture order was vehemently resisted by Saraki, leading eventually to the discharge of the temporary forfeiture order yesterday by Justice Aikawa.

The judge said he found no sufficient basis in the EFCC application and he could not "find my way through" to grant the permanent forfeiture order.

In its application, the EFCC had told the court how it received and investigated "a damning intelligence report, showing monumental fraud perpetrated in the treasury of the Kwara State Government between 2003 and 2011," when Saraki was the governor of the state. But Saraki had, through his lawyer, Mr. Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), described the EFCC suit as an abuse of court process and an attempt to scandalise him. He argued that it was a ploy by the EFCC to review the July 6, 2018 decision of the Supreme Court "discharging the applicant from culpability arising from the same money and houses which are the subject matter of this action."

Source

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Durosinlohun Atiku     Jimoh Saadudeen Muhammed     PAACO-PCL Consortium     Kunle Suleiman     Cassava Growers\' Association     Labour Party     Dar-Al-Handasah Consultants     Shehu Alimi Foundation For Peace And Development     Memunat Monsuma     Erubu Oba Zubair     Kwara State Football Association     Shero     NAWOJ     Idi-Ape     Ibrahim Mohammed     Alikinla     Senior Ibrahim Suleiman     Alapado     HYPPADEC     Women For Change And Development Initiative     Yusuf Mubarak     Ilorin Curfew     Ladi Hassan     QuickWin     Wahab Egbewole     Kolawole Akande     Bolaji Nagode     Ojuekun     Ibraheem Adeola Katibi     Otuka     Funmilayo Mohammed     Tunde Kazeem     Amina Susa\'a De Ahmed     S.O. Opowoye     Afusat Nike Ibrahim     Elewu     Ifelodun     Bayo Ojo     Saidu Isa     IDPU     Tunji Moronfoye     Olaiya Victor Mobolaji     Rotimi Samuel Olujide     Ike Ekweremadu     Chikanda     Abdulrasheed Akogun     Femi Oladiji     Oyeyemi Olasumbo Florence     T And K FOODS     David Oyepinola Adedumoye     Jimoh Lambe Abdulkareem     Adamu Jemilat-Baki     Emmanuel Olatunji Adesoye     Joseph Daudu     Opolo Global Innovation Limited     NNPP     Rice Farmers Association Of Nigeria     Jide Oyinloye     Salman Suleiman     Taofeeq Olateju     Umar Gunu     Rashidi Yekini     Riskat Opakunle     Emir Of Yashikira     Senior Staff Union Of Colleges Of Education     KwaraLearn     Council Of The Wise     Joana Nnazua Kolo     Ahmed Mohammed Rifun     Academic Staff Union Of Universities     Ishola Abdullahi     Freshvine Nigeria Limited     Raimi Iyanda     Dele Belgore     Amuda Bembe     Yemi Osinbajo     AGILE Programme    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Gobir     Vasolar-Kwara Company Ltd     Bola Magaji     Osinbajo     Razak Atunwa     Christopher Ayeni     TIIDELab     Tunji Moronfoye     Saka Abimbola Isau     Elelu     Arinola Lawal     Ahmed Saidu Rufai     International Public Sector Accounting Standards     Ben Duntoye     Yusuf Lawal     SARS     Saad Belgore     David Oyerinola Adedunmoye     NAWOJ     Ahmed Alhasssan     Alanamu     March 18     Special Agro-Industrial Hub     IHS Towers     Neo Mundo Ltd     Haruna Olawale Sulaiman     Susan Modupe Oluwole     Ahmed Shuaib Buranga     Olabanji Orilonishe     Chief Imam Of Omu-Aran     Al-Hikmah Radio     John Kehinde Salako     Christopher Odetunde     Abubakar B.M     Tunji Ajanaku     National Party Of Nigeria     Simeon Sayomi     International Vocational Centre     Ojo Fadumila     Aremu Odolaye     Ayedun     Dankaka     Kwara State Infrastructure Development Fund     Coalition Of Kwara North Groups     Mujtabah Bature     Ahmed     Tunji Oyawoye     Muhammad Mustapha Suleiman     SAPZ Project     Chartered Institute Of Personnel Management Of Nigeria     Tinubu     Owu Fall     New Nigeria People’s Party     Umar Adelodun     Elewu     Ella Supreme Tissue Paper     Muslim Media Watch Group Of Nigeria     Saudat Abdulbaqi     April 11     Oasis Muslim Care Foundation     Olubukola Kifayat Adedeji     Sulu Babaita Isiaka     Aliyu Muhammad Saifudeen     ER-KANG Mining Nigeria Company Limited     Aiyedun     Omupo     Saka Keji     Niyi Osundare     Okin Biscuits     Quran     Allocation     Bamidele Adegoke Oladimeji     08001000100     Ronke Adeyemi     Musa Abdullahi     Offa Metropolitan Club     Kwara Teaching Service Commission