A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday ordered an interim forfeiture of 40 landed properties belonging to the embattled former Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, who is currently in custody in the United Kingdom.
The trial Judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo made the order following an ex-parte motion marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/1242/2022 filed and moved by Ibrahim Buba on behalf of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In a short ruling on the exparte motion, the Judge ordered the anti-graft agency to publish the interim forfeiture order of the properties in a national daily within seven days from the date the order was given.
Justice Ekwo specifically asked anybody interested in the properties covered by the interim forfeiture order to indicate within 14 days of the publication of the interim forfeiture order of the court.
Justice Ekwo adjourned till December 5, 2022, for a report, if there is any objection from any member of the public regarding the properties.
The interim forfeiture order covers 10 Ekweremadu’s properties in Enugu, three in the United States of America (USA), two in the United Kingdom (UK), one in Lagos, nine in Dubai, and 15 located in the Federal Capital Territory.
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By the ruling, members of the public interested in the properties, covered by the interim forfeiture order should, within 14 days of the newspaper publication, inform the court why the properties should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
The former Deputy Senate President and his wife are currently standing trial in the United Kingdom over alleged organ harvest.
•Breakdown of Ekweremadu’s properties EFCC will claim ;
The breakdown of the properties under the interim forfeiture order is listed below:
1. 10 properties in Enugu
2. 3 in the United State of America (USA)
3. 2 in the United Kingdom (UK)
4. 1 property in Lagos
5. 9 are located in Dubai
6. 15 can be found in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
•Ekweremadu EFCC Crime Corruption Properties Politics ;
The court also ordered that members of the public interested in the properties within the purview of the interim forfeiture order should indicate their interest within 14 days of publication.
It said they should tell the court why the properties should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.
Recall that Ekweremadu and his wife are currently facing trial in the UK over alleged organ harvest while their daughter is being diagnosed with kidney problems.
