Crime

Diezani Misery Continues: Forfeits Mansion, $2.7m to FG

125

[dropcap]A[/dropcap] former minister of petroleum Diezani Alison-Madueke, has permanently forfeited a skyscraper property worth $37.5m to the federal government.

A Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos Monday also  ordered that the sums of $2,740,197.96 and N84,537,840.70 realised as rents on the property should also be forfeited to the Federal Government.

The property is a 15-storey building, which comprises 18 flats and six penthouses.

The Presiding Judge (Professor) Chuka Obiozor, made the order following a motion on notice argued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s counsel (EFCC).

The anti-graft agency had on July 19, 2017, obtained a court order to temporarily seize the property located at Block B, Bella Vista Plot 1, Zone N, Federal Government Layout, Banana Island Foreshore Estate, which is said to have 24 apartments, 18 flats and six penthouses.

The court directed that the temporary forfeiture order be published in a newspaper and then adjourned till today, for anyone interested in the property and funds to appear to convince the court why the seized items should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

At the resumed hearing of the matter today, the EFCC lawyer, Mr. Anselem Ozioko, told the court that the publication order had been complied with. He however, stated that no one has contested the forfeiture order.

“In summary, it appears as if they are not willing to contest this application,” Ozioko said.

He urged Justice Obiozor to go ahead and order the permanent forfeiture of the property and the funds. In a short ruling, Justice Obiozor granted the orders.

The judge held, “In the face of the publication, which I find in Exhibit B of the affidavit of compliance before me, and there being no responses from any interested party, I have no other option but to grant the orders as prayed.”

The EFCC had earlier told the judge that the Banana Island mansion was reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities by Diezani.

The anti-graft agency said its investigations revealed that Diezani bought the property sometime in 2013 at the price of $37.5m and paid for it in cash.

According to the EFCC, the $37.5m was moved straight from Diezani’s house in Abuja and paid into the selller’s First Bank account in Abuja.

“Nothing could be more suspicious than someone keeping such huge amounts in her apartment. Why was she doing that? To avoid attention?.

“We are convinced beyond reasonable doubt because as of the time this happened, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke was still in public service as the Minister of Petroleum Resources,” the EFCC lawyer, Ozioko, had told Justice Obiozor.

In a 41-paragraph affidavit attached to the application, an investigative officer with the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, explained that Diezani, in connivance with one Nwokedi purposely incorporated a company, Rusimpex Limited, on September 11, 2013 to facilitate the alleged fraud scheme.

Bawa said Nwokedi later registered Rusimpex Limited at the Corporate Affairs Commission, wherein a lawyer in his law firm, and a Russian, Vladmir Jourauleu, were listed as the directors of the company.

The investigator explained further that: “Sometime in 2013, the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, invited Nwokedi, to her house in Abuja for a meeting where she informed him to incorporate a company and use same as a front to manage landed properties on her behalf without using her name in any of the incorporation documents.

Diezani was also said to have further directed Nwokedi to meet with a former bank CEO.

“The bank CEO  was invited by the commission and he came and volunteered an extrajudicial statement wherein he stated that he marketed a property at Bella Vista, Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos, belonging to Mr. Youseff Fattau of Ibatex Nigeria Limited to Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke and Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke later bought the property from Mr. Youseff Fattau, through Nwokedi (who she introduced to him) and that the payment for the said property was made through the Abuja office of the bank.

 

 

 

Leave a comment

Related Articles

Chinese man to die by hanging for stabbing his Nigerian girlfriend to death

A Chinese national, Frank Geng-Quangrong, who killed his Nigerian girlfriend, Ummukulsum Sani,...

NDLEA Nab Hairstylist, Dispatch Rider For Allegedly Selling Drug-Laced Chin-Chin To Students, At Parties

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has detained a 20-year-old hair...

Incestuous RCCG Pastor faces trial for allegedly raping, impregnating daughter

Emmanuel Orekoya, a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lagos,...

NDLEA records largest heroin seizure at Lagos Airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has successfully intercepted...

Oluomo, impeached speaker of Ogun Assembly, two others arraigned over alleged N2.5bln fraud

The impeached Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo,...

Just in: Lustful Lagos pastor bags life imprisonment for rape

Horny Lagos pastor Feyi Daniels is to spend the rest of his...

$500,000 bribe charge: Supreme Court affirms ex-lawmaker Lawan’s five-year jail term

The nation’s Supreme Court on Friday upheld the five-year sentence slammed on...

Alleged ₦4bln fraud: Ex-Anambra governor, Obiano, arraigned, enters ‘not-guilty’ plea

“The judge said Obiano should enjoy bail on the administrative terms granted...

Emefiele: FG amends, raises charges against him to 20

The Federal Government has again amended the charges against the former Governor...

$6bn power project: Reprieve as Obasanjo’s Power Minister, Olu Agunloye, gets N50m bail

Reprieve came for a former Minister of Power and Steel, Dr. Olu...

Plateau killings: Three gunrunners busted, guns, ammunition recovered – Police High Command

Three suspected members of a gun running syndicate have been apprehended in...

Horrific! 23-year-old girlfriend shoots fatally police cop during fight

A 23-year-old girlfriend has during a fight pulled the trigger of her...

Infidelity: Choleric housewife douses hubby with hot water for attending party alone 

Bad-tempered housewife, Mrs Dorcas Oluwabukola, who bathed her husband with hot water,...

Caught in the act: Fowl raper, cooling his heels in police net

In what is perceived as repulsive act of bestiality, a sex-starved pervert,...

How social media helped Rivers CP, crack team to bust policemen for ransom kidnapping

Following reports of some policemen allegedly involved in ransom kidnapping, Rivers State...

Ex-CBN Gov. Emefiele back to prison over unmet bail conditions, trial adjourned to January 2024

A former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has yet...

Ambush, murder of 7 DSS officers in Lagos: Man to keep date with hangman, accomplice bags 16 years

For ambushing and killing seven officers of the Department of State Services...

Two Kwara Poly students nabbed for allegedly robbing, killing socialite during threesome

Two suspects, Adama Joseph and Oreoluwa Davies, are currently cooling their heels...

Breaking News: Police Arrest Sam Larry, suspect in Mohbad’s death

On Thursday evening, the Lagos State Police Command announced that it has...

Incest: 59-year-old artisan jailed for life for defiling two daughters for 9 years

A 59-year-old artisan and father, Eze Chukwuma, is to spend the rest...