The Judge concluded that the EFCC had withheld information in lifting the restriction
A temporary forfeiture of 40 landed properties awarded against the former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja has been overturned.
After learning that the Federal Government improperly acquired the Forfeiture Ruling against the properties, Justice Ekwo issued the order.
The judge lifted the order after concluding that the Federal Government’s representative, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, had lied in obtaining it.
Justice Ekwo argued that the EFCC failed to provide the court with the crucial information despite knowing that Ekweremadu was being held in the UK.
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The judge concurred with Ekweremadu’s attorney and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adegboyega Awomolo, that the former Deputy Senate President will never get the opportunity to defend his ownership of the disputed properties.
Following an ex-parte application submitted to him by the EFCC, Justice Ekwo issued the interim Forfeiture Order in favour of the Federal Government on November 4 of last year.
Anyone with a stake in the forfeited property must make their intentions known within 14 days of the publication of the interim forfeiture order from the court, according to a particular directive from the judge.
Currently on trial in the UK for an alleged organ harvest is the former deputy senate president and his wife.
