Ladipo Sanusi/
More houses worth over N2.6 billion have again been seized from former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke.
A Federal High Court, in Lagos, today, ordered that four buildings in Lagos, Rivers, and Abuja, valued at N2, 611, 592, 199, linked to Diezani and her associates be temporarily forfeited to the Federal government of Nigeria, for being proceeds of corruption.
The same court had on August 7 ordered Alison-Madueke to forfeit a $37.5 million sky-scrapper on Banana Island, Lagos to the Federal Government.
She was equally ordered to surrender the sums of $2,740,197.96 and N84, 537, 840.70 realised as rents on the property to the government
Justice AbdulAziz Anka gave the order while granting an Ex-parte application marked FHC/L/CS/1279/17, filed and argued before the court by the lawyer to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Anselm Ozioko.
Respondents in the suit are: Mrs. Diezani Alison Madueke; Mr. Donald Chidi Amamgbo; Chapel Properties Limited; Blue Nile Estate Limited; Azinga Meadows Limited, and Vistapoints Property Development Limited.
The properties ordered to be temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) are: 21 mixed housing units of 8 numbers of four bedrooms penthouse apartment; six numbers of three bedrooms apartments; two numbers of three bedrooms apartment and one of four bedrooms apartment, all en-suite, located at 7, Thurnburn Street, and 5 Raymond Street, Yaba, valued at N937 million.
Others are: 16-four bedrooms terrace at Heritage Court Estate, Omerelu Street, Diobu GRA, Port-Harcourt, River State, valued at N928 million; 13-three bedrooms with one room maid’s quarter, situated at Mabushi Gardens Estate, Plot 1205, Cadastral Zone B06, Mabushi, Abuja, valued at N650 million, and six flats of three bedrooms and one boys-quarter at Plot 808 (135) Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, valued at N805 million.
The EFCC alleged that the properties were purchased by the former Petroleum Minister and her cohort, Mr. Donald Chidi Amamgbo, through four companies, namely: Chapel Properties Limited; Blue Nile Estate Limited; Azinga Meadows Nigeria Limited; and Vistapoint Property Development Limited.
The EFCC in an affidavit attached with the Ex-parte application, and deposed to by Sambo Muazu Mayana, an investigator with the Agency, averred that sometimes in 2016, an intelligence report was received against both Diezani and Amamgbo, and upon analysing the intelligence report, a search warrant was executed at the office and premises of Amamgbo.
The deponent also averred that among the documents recovered from Amamgbo was an undated report titled: “Highly Confidential Attorney Work Product- August Report”.
He stated further that the ‘highly confidential report contained 18 companies and several Properties located in United Kingdom (UK), Nigeria and United State of America (USA). He added that in the course of interview Mr. Donald Chidi Amamgbo, he told the Agency that he registered the 18 companies to assist the former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Allison-Madueke in holding title of the temporarily forfeited properties.
He further stated that investigation into the ownership of the said Properties indicated that FBN Mortgage Limited was the last owner on the three of the properties
The deponent also stated that payment for the properties was received by FBN Mortgage Limited, at various times from 2011 to June 16, 2015, that First Bank of Nigeria Plc stated in a letter that the source of the monies was from Mrs. Diezani Alison Madueke, and that the bank picked up United State Dollars from her house located at 10, Frederick Chiluba Close, off Jose Martins Street, Asokoro, Abuja, and the sum of $3.342,307 million was credited into FBN Mortgage Limited account number 2008133531.
He also stated that First Bank of Nigeria Plc, in its extra judicial statement made by its Head of Public Sector Group, also confirmed that the sum of N840 million, equivalent of $5.540, 318 million, transferred to Skye Bank by one Adeyemi Edun, was picked up on May 23, 2011, from Mrs. Diezani’s house at 10, Fredrick Chiluba Close, off Marti Street, Asokoro, Abuja, and same was transferred on Diezani’s instruction Skye Bank in favour of Adeyemi Edun on the same day.
The deponent urged the court to grant the application in the interest of Justice.
Justice Anka, after listening to Ozioko’s submission, ordered that the above listed properties be forfeited to the FGN in the interim.
He also ordered the EFCC to appoint a competent person(s) or firm to manage the temporarily forfeited assets/properties, and directed EFCC to notify the respondents in whose possession the assets/properties sought to be forfeited are found to appear before the court and show cause within 14 days why the properties should not be forfeited to the FGN.
Justice Anka also directed the EFCC to make the publication of the interim order in a National newspaper for the respondents and anyone who is interested in the properties to appear before the court to show cause within 14 days why the final order of forfeiture of the properties should not be made in favour of the FGN.
Others include 16 four bedrooms terrace, located at Heritage Court Estate, Omerelu Street, Diobu GRA, Port-Harcourt, River State, valued at N928 million; 13 three bedrooms with one room maid’s quarter, situated at Mabushi Gardens Estate, Plot 1205, Cadastral Zone B06, Mabushi, Abuja, valued at N650 million and six flats of three bedrooms and one boys quarters, located at Plot 808 (135) Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, valued at N805 million.
0