A Federal High Court in Abuja has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to seal off 40 properties owned by the embattled former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.
Recall that the former Senate President and his wife, Beatrice, are currently standing trial in the United Kingdom over alleged organ harvest.
The Nigerian court on Friday gave the order after hearing an ex-parte application filed by an EFCC lawyer, Ibrahim Buba on behalf of the EFCC.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, while granting the order, directed the anti-graft agency to publish the interim forfeiture order of the properties in a national daily within seven days.
The judge said the move is to enable whoever has an interest in the assets to approach the court and convince it not to issue an order of permanent forfeiture to the federal government.
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Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter till December 5, 2022 for a report in the case if there is any objection from members of the public regarding the said properties.
The interim forfeiture order covers Ekweremadu’s properties as follows; 10 properties in Enugu, three in the United States of America, two in the United Kingdom, one in Lagos, nine in Dubai, the United Emirate Republic and 15 located in the Federal Capital Territory.
Buba moved the application for the confiscation of the assets, saying they were suspicious proceeds of crime.
The lawyer told the judge that the landed properties comprise 15 in Abuja, 10 in Enugu (Mr Ekweremadu’s home state), one in Lagos, two in the United Kingdom, three in the United States, and nine in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The EFCC claimed the assets were allegedly acquired with proceeds of fraud.