Orders forfeiture of ‘stolen’ property

Justice Rilwan Aikawa of a Lagos High Court has ordered the temporary forfeiture of N28.5million allegedly stolen by a Director of Accounts in the Lagos State Public Works Corporation (LSPWC) Mr. Anifowoshe Muhammed Jamiu Alade.
The court also ordered an interim forfeiture of properties recovered from Mr. Alade to the Federal Government, and ordered the defendant to appear before the court and show cause within 14 days why the properties should not be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The property include six flats of three bedroom, six flats of two bedroom, six flats of one Bedroom at Adewale Osiyeku Street, Offin-Ile Igbogbo, Ikorodu, and four flats of three bedroom duplex at 6, Tunde Gabby Close, Dopemu Area Pako Bus Stop Agege, all of which EFCC said were “reasonably suspected to have been acquired with the proceeds of theft”.
Other properties forfeited to the federal government are a plot of land at Queen’s Garden Estate, off Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, a semi-detached three bedroom flat and one unit of three bedroom terrace at Cranbel Court, Citiview Estate Arepo, Ogun State.
The EFCC said the sum recovered from him “is reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity to wit: stealing.”
“The money and properties sought to be attached are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of an unlawful activities stolen, diverted and retained by the respondent (Alade) from the Public Works Corporation, Lagos State,” EFCC said.
The commission said Alade, being a Director of Account in the corporation, was “the custodian, initiator, first authorizer and final authorizer of the corporation’s internet banking system.”
The anti-graft agency also claimed that the defendant allegedly incorporated a company called MAJ Anny International Limited, of which he is a director and signatory to its account.
In a supporting affidavit deposed by an EFCC operative, Zayyanu Halliru, it said, “we traced to the respondent the sum of N106,095,960.00 which sums he fraudulently stole from Public Works Corporation, Lagos State to his personal account No. 0015893001 domiciled in Guaranty Trust Bank and converted same to his personal use.
“We traced to the respondent the sum of N223, 373,475.00 which sums he fraudulently stole from Public Works Corporation, Lagos State to MAJ Anny International Limited being his company account domiciled in Zenith Bank.
“The respondent used part of the proceeds of crime allegedly stolen from Public Work Corporation, Lagos State to purchase and acquire properties
“Out of the stolen funds highlighted above, the respondent purchased two properties from a company called Property Mart Real Estate Investment Limited in the sum of N37, 740,000.00. Out of the above, we have recovered the sum of N28, 500,000.00
“The sums and the building highlighted above are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities stolen from the Public Work Corporation, Lagos State.
“The order of this court is needed to forfeit this aforementioned sums and the building to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
The trial judge, Justice Aikawa adjourned the matter till January 16, for continuation.

 

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