A Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja presided over by Justice Mojisola Dada on Thursday asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to take custody of three containers that were recovered from one Obinna Anthony Okonkwo at the Apapa ports in Lagos.
The final forfeiture order followed an earlier interim forfeiture of the properties, after an ex-parte application filed by the EFCC by the same Justice Mojisola.
The properties are container with no: TCLU A576813 located at 7, Okotie-Eboh Street, Lagos; a container with no: TGHU 8404304 located at 7, Okotie-Eboh Street, Lagos; and a container with no: GESU 600 located at a warehouse on 191, Muyibi Street, Olodi, Apapa, Lagos.
Counsel for the EFCC, S.O. Daji, at the sitting on Thursday while requesting for the final forfeiture of the items, informed the court that the EFCC had complied with the directive of the court, including publishing the interim forfeiture order in a national newspaper.
He tendered exhibits to prove his case saying “My lord, after the publication, till now, no one has come forward to lay claim to the items.”
Daji told the court that investigation revealed that the owners used fake documents to import the items into the country.
According to him, investigation revealed that the containers were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.
“We urge your lordship to grant our application, which is brought pursuant to Section 17 Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006,” he said.
In her rulings, Justice Dada granted the EFCC counsel prayers and thereafter ordered the final forfeiture of the items.
The items were also ordered to be sold and the proceeds remitted to the Consolidated Revenue Fund Account of the Federal Government.
