NewsCourt Orders Interim Forfeiture Of 48 Properties Linked To Ex-NSTIF Chair

Court Orders Interim Forfeiture Of 48 Properties Linked To Ex-NSTIF Chair

BEVERLY HILLS, July 02, (THEWILL) – Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered the interim forfeiture of 48 choice properties, allegedly belonging to the former Chairman of Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Funds, NSITF, Dr. Ngozi Olejeme.

The affected properties are spread across, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Bayelsa, Enugu, Edo and Delta states.

Dr. Olejeme who was also the Treasurer of the Jonathan-Sambo Campaign Organisation in 2015 has been on the run since 2016 and was in September, 2017, declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds and money laundering.

Trouble began for Dr. Olejeme, who was NSITF chairman from 2009 to 2015, when the EFCC in 2016, received two petitions detailing multi-billion naira fraud allegations against her and some bureau-de-change operators.

She was alleged to have, along with Mr. Umar Munir Abubakar, former managing director of NSITF, mismanaged and diverted over N69billion, belonging to the Federal Government into their personal accounts through the award of spurious contracts to proxy companies.

The forfeiture order was granted after counsel to the EFCC, Ekele Iheanacho, convinced the court that the said properties were purchased with proceeds of crime and buttressed his position with 14 exhibits, attached to his affidavit, filed on May 29, 2020.

In granting the application, Justice Taiwo ruled that the interim order should be published in a leading newspaper within seven days of receipt of the order and for any interested party to show cause within 14 days as to why the properties should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.

He adjourned the matter till July 27, 2020.

About the Author

Homepage | Recent Posts

More like this
Related

Bayelsa Journalists Call On Gov Douye Diri To Appoint Easterday As Commissioner

March 28, (THEWILL) - As Bayelsa State Governor,...

FAAN Shuts Down KFC Outlet At MMIA Over PRM Discrimination

March 28, (THEWILL) - The Federal Airports Authority...

FirstNews Editor Segun Olatunji Regains Freedom From DIA Custody

March 28, (THEWILL) - The Editor of FirstNews,...