Crime & Court
Court Orders Interim Forfeiture of $4.7m, N830m, Assets Linked to Emefiele
The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered an interim forfeiture of substantial sums of money and numerous properties associated with Mr. Godwin Emefiele, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The order, granted by Justice Yellim Bogoro on Thursday, May 23, 2024, followed an ex-parte application by counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Bilkisu Buhari.
“I have listened to the submission of the applicant’s counsel and also perused the motion just moved, together with the affidavit in support,” stated Justice Bogoro in her ruling. “I find merit in the application and same is hereby granted as prayed.”
The court directed the publication of the order in a national daily to allow interested parties to present their case before the final forfeiture decision, scheduled for July 2.
The sums of $4,719,054 and N830,875,611, along with various properties, were forfeited to the Federal Government. These funds were reportedly warehoused in First Bank, Titan Bank, and Zenith Bank, and operated by several entities including Omoile Anita Joy, Deep Blue Energy Service Limited, and others.
Among the forfeited properties are 94 units of an 11-floor building under construction in Ikoyi, Lagos; an 11-floor office space at Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, Lagos; and various parcels of land and completed properties across Lagos, Texas, and Chevron Nigeria.
The EFCC sought the interim forfeiture under various legal provisions, including Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 14, 2006, and Section 44(2)(b) of the Constitution, as well as the inherent jurisdiction of the court.
The anti-graft agency specifically requested the court for interim orders forfeiting the funds and properties suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities and directing the publication of the order in a national newspaper for interested parties to show cause why final forfeiture should not be made in favor of the Federal Government.
A top Namibian court on Friday struck down the African country’s colonial-era laws criminalising same-sex relationships, in a victory for the LGBTQ community.
The high court in the capital, Windhoek, declared the crimes of “sodomy” and “unnatural sexual offences” as “unconstitutional and invalid” in a ruling hailed by LGBTQ rights groups.
“We are not persuaded that in a democratic society such as ours… it is reasonably justifiable to make an activity criminal just because a segment, maybe a majority, of the citizenry consider it to be unacceptable,” the judges wrote.
The judgement overturns rarely enforced laws dating back to 1927, which Namibia inherited from the colonial era but maintained after gaining independence from South Africa in 1990.
“Because of this decision, I no longer feel like a criminal on the run in my own country simply because of who I am,” said Friedel Dausab, the activist who brought the case.
London-based Human Dignity Trust called the ruling “historic”.
“LGBT Namibians can now look to a brighter future,” said its chief executive, Tea Braun.
The verdict comes against a backdrop of growing intolerance towards LGBTQ rights in southern Africa.
While a handful of African countries have legalised same-sex relationships, South Africa remains the sole African nation that allows gay marriage, legalised in 2006.
The United Nations AIDS program, UNAIDS, said the ruling marked a “significant victory for equality and human rights”.
“This decision… is a powerful step towards a more inclusive Namibia,” said Anne Githuku-Shongwe, UNAIDS regional director for East and Southern Africa.
In a disturbing incident in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, suspected gunmen have abducted a pregnant woman who was on her way to the State General Hospital, Ijaiye, Abeokuta.
The victim, identified as Mrs Rahmatullah Ogunbunmi, was reportedly kidnapped on Thursday by unidentified armed men.
According to Omolola Odutola, the spokesperson of the Ogun State Police Command, the case was reported by Mr Ogunbunmi Lateef, husband of the abducted woman.
Lateef stated that his wife, who was due for delivery, had left their home in Oke Lantoro for the hospital when the abduction occurred.
Quoting. Mr. Lateef, Odutola said, “One Ogunbunmi Lateef of Oke Lantoro reported that his pregnant wife due for delivery left home for State Hospital Ijaiye Abeokuta.”
The abduction has sent shockwaves through the community, with family members and locals expressing concern over the safety of Mrs Ogunbunmi.
Lateef reportedly received a WhatsApp message notifying him of his wife’s abduction, further intensifying the distress of the family.
The Ogun State Police Command has assured the public that efforts are underway to rescue Mrs Ogunbunmi and apprehend the perpetrators. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.
The Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has declared the creation of the 33 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) by the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu as unconstitutional and illegal.
The judgment, delivered by Justice A.O Adebusuoye, dealt a significant blow to the legacy of the late governor, asserting that the LCDAs were not lawfully established under the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.
The controversy stemmed from Governor Akeredolu’s decision in September 2023 to sign into law a bill passed by the State House of Assembly, which created the 33 LCDAs.
This move, aimed at decentralizing governance and bringing development closer to the grassroots, was met with legal challenges questioning its legality.
The LCDAs, although intended to operate alongside the existing 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state, effectively increased the administrative units to a total of 51.
This restructuring was part of Akeredolu’s governance agenda during his tenure, marked by his background as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and former Attorney General of Ondo State.
Governor Akeredolu, who served from February 24, 2017, until his untimely demise on December 27, 2023, was succeeded by his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who was promptly sworn in to continue leading the state.
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