Ekweremadu: Court To Give Ruling On Seized Properties In January

A date has been fixed by a Federal High Court in Abuja for the ruling on Senator Ike Ekweremadu’s application seeking an order setting aside the November 4 interim forfeiture order on 40 landed properties linked to him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The ruling will be given on January 25, 2023, as fixed by Justice Inyang Ekwo on Thursday following the arguments of Ekweremadu's lawyer,  Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) and Sylvanus Tahir (SAN) for EFCC.

On December 4, Justice Ekwo granted the anti-graft agency’s ex-parte motion seeking an interim order of forfeiture of some properties belonging to the former deputy senate president.

EFCC had been instructed to publish the interim forfeiture order of the properties in a national daily within seven days.

Those interested in the forfeited properties had been told by the judge to indicate interest within 14 days of the publication, stating why they should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ekweremadu’s eldest child, Lloyd, the Anambra State government and a company, Uni-medical Healthcare Limited on December 5 appeared in court as parties interested in the seized properties.

In a motion marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1242/2022 and filed by Awomolo, Lloyd prayed the court, seeking an order to set aside the interim forfeiture of his father's properties and companies.

He stated that EFCC's motion was filed in absolute bad faith and alongside the others, requested the court to set the interim order and dismiss the EFCC’s application.