By Innocent Anaba

Lagos—A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, ordered that a $37.5million sky-scrapper building on Banana Island, Lagos, belonging to former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, be finally forfeited to the Federal Government.

Alison-Madueke

Trial judge in the matter, Justice Chuka Obiozor, also ordered that the sums of $2,740,197.96 and N84,537,840.70 realised as rents on the property should equally be forfeited to the Federal Government.

The orders were made by Justice Obiozor, sequel to a motion on notice argued before him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The anti-graft agency had on July 19, 2017,  obtained a court order to temporarily seize the property located at Building 3, Block B, Bella Vista Plot 1, Zone N, Federal Government Layout, Banana Island Foreshore Estate, which is said to have 24 apartments, 18 flats and six penthouses.

The court had directed that the temporary forfeiture order be published in a newspaper and then adjourned till Monday,  for anyone interested in the property and funds to appear to convince the court why they should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

At the resumed hearing of the matter, yesterday, EFCC counsel, Mr. Anselem Ozioko, told Justice Obiozor that the publication order had been complied with, adding that  no one has contested the forfeiture order.

“In summary, it appears as if they are not willing to contest this application,” Ozioko said, praying the court to go ahead and order the permanent forfeiture of the property and the funds.

In a short ruling, Justice Obiozor said, “In the face of the publication, which I find in Exhibit ‘B’ of the affidavit of compliance before me, and there being no responses from any interested party, I have no other option but to grant the orders as prayed.”

The EFCC had earlier told the judge that the Banana Island mansion was reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities by Diezani.

It added that its investigations showed that Diezani purchased the property sometime in 2013 for $37.5 million, which she paid in cash.

According to the EFCC, the $37.5 million was moved straight from Diezani’s house in Abuja and paid into the seller’s First Bank account also in Abuja.

“Nothing could be more suspicious than someone keeping such huge amounts in her apartment. Why was she doing that? To avoid attention.  We are convinced beyond reasonable doubt because as of the time this happened, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke was still in public service as the Minister of Petroleum Resources,” the EFCC lawyer said.

In a 41-paragraph affidavit attached to the application, an investigative officer with the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, averred that one other person, in connivance with Diezani, purposely incorporated the company, Rusimpex Limited, on September 11, 2013 to facilitate the alleged fraud scheme.

According to Bawa, the said person was questioned by the EFCC, but explained that he had approached Diezani for opportunities in the Oil and Gas industry but the ex-minister told him that she did not have any such opportunity for him and asked him whether he could in the alternative manage landed properties, an offer which he accepted.

Bawa said that the fellow later registered Rusimpex Limited at the Corporate Affairs Commission, wherein one Adetula Ayokunle, and a Russian, Vladmir Jourauleu, were listed as the directors of the company.

The investigator also stated that when Ayokunle was questioned by the EFCC, he explained that he only appended his signature on the CAC documents at his boss’ instruction, while Jourauleu denied knowledge of the company.