A FEDERAL High Court, Lagos yesterday forfeited to the Federal Government properties worth N1.8 billion, seized from a former Executive Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC), Mr Tuoyo Omatsuli.
Justice Chuka Obiozor made the order, following the expiration of a May 17 order granting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) interim possession of the properties.
The order was preceded by an ex-parte application filed by EFCC counsel, Mr. Ekele Iheanacho.
The judge also ordered that the interim orders should be published in national dailies for any interested parties to appear and show cause, following which it adjourned for hearing of the motion on notice.
At the beginning of proceedings yesterday, the judge held that from the facts adduced before him, he was satisfied that the properties were proceeds of crime.
Justice Obiozor held: “In the final analysis, the court is satisfied that the first to fourth defendants forms part of proceeds of unlawful activities, and are liable to be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria,”
The properties are: Block 117, Plot 4, Lekki Peninsula Scheme; Plots 1-18, Block 43 TPAO 992, Ikate Ancient City, Lekki; Plot 1B Northern Business District, Lekki Peninsula, and Plot 1 Block 25, Lekki Peninsula Scheme, Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Lagos.
The respondents in the suit were: West Field Energy Resources Ltd, Francis Momoh, Don Parker Properties Ltd, and Omatsuli.
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In its affidavit deposed to by an operative, Mr. Adamu Yusuf, the commission stated how a contractor with the NDDC, Starline Consultancy Services Ltd, was paid the sum of N10.2 billion as consultancy fee for levies collected from oil processing companies in the Niger Delta Region.
Iheanacho added that out of the money paid to Starline, N3.6 billion was paid as kickback to Omatsuli through a company named Building Associates Ltd.
He said about N1.8 billion out of the sum was used by Building Associates to buy properties in the name of a company called Don Parker Properties Ltd, in which Omatsuli had majority shareholding.
He told the court that Francis Momoh, who is the majority shareholder in Building Associates Ltd, was introduced as a shareholder in Don Parker Properties Ltd so as to disguise the nature of the crime.
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