The Anambra state government on Monday asked the Court to remove its property listed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC from the interim forfeiture order made against 40 properties linked to Senator Ike Ekweremadu, pending the determination of the suit.
In an affidavit to show cause, Amah Kalu, a litigation secretary from the law office of C.I. Igbinedion stated that he had the authority from the Anambra state government to recover ‘House No. 14/16 Charles Street GRA, Enugu” which EFCC listed in the order as belonging to Ekweremadu, The Whistler reports.
Kalu stated that on March 4, 2022, the Anambra state government instituted a suit against Senator Ekweremadu before the High Court in Enugu following his statement in 2018, claiming ownership of the said property.
He requested that the property be removed from those temporarily forfeited because the case is still pending before a “court of competent and coordinate jurisdiction.”
Similarly, another lawyer, Kingsley Ugwu, also prayed to the court to remove Uni-Medical HealthCare Limited, Plot 680 and 681 Independence Layout, Enugu, from the list of properties that the EFCC claimed belonged to Ekweremadu.
In his submission, Ugwu stated that his client is currently in possession of the property and is “the legal owner and bonafide purchaser for value without knowledge of any adverse interest.”
The judge directed EFCC’s senior lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir, SAN to respond to the processes and adjourned the matter to December, 15.
Ike Ekweremadu
Following an exparte motion filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC against the defendant, Justice Inyang Ekwo, of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on November, 4th ordered the interim forfeiture of the properties linked to Ekweremadu and directed the anti-graft agency to publish the interim forfeiture in a national daily within seven days from the date of the order.
Interested members of the public were also advised to approach the court within 14 days of the publication and show cause why the properties should not be forfeited permanently to the federal government.
EFCC’s lawyer, Mr. Ibrahim Buba, testified in court that the landed properties, 10 of which are in Enugu, three in the United States of America, two in the United Kingdom, one in Lagos, nine in Dubai, and fifteen in Federal Capital Territory, are believed to have been purchased with proceeds from crime.
The former deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, his wife Beatrice, and their daughter, Sonia are currently facing prosecution in the UK, for allegedly bringing a child there to harvest his organ.
Politics and Opinion
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