A Lagos State Federal High Court has ordered the interim forfeiture of an estate in Banana Island area of the state linked to former Minister of Petroleum, Deizani Alison Madueke.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of $37.5m alleged to have been fraudulently siphoned by the former Minister.
The property, according to court papers was bought for $37.5m in 2013 by Diezani Alison-Madueke.
An exhibited presented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, says the property, designated as Building 3, Block B, Bella Vista Plot 1, Zone N, Federal Government Layout, Banana Island Foreshore Estate, has 24 apartments, 18 flats and six penthouses.
The Justice Cuka Obiozor-led court also ordered the temporary forfeiture of the sums of $2,740,197.96 and N84,537,840.70, alleged to be part of rent collected on the property.
The funds were said to have been found in a Zenith Bank account number 1013612486.
The judge gave the temporary forfeiture order following an ex parte application brought before him by a counsel for the EFCC, Anselem Ozioko.
According to Ozioko , the EFCC “reasonably suspected that the property was acquired with proceeds of alleged unlawful activities of Diezani.”
Ozioko said investigations by the EFCC revealed that Diezani made the $37.5m payment for the purchase of the property in cash.
The lawyer noted that the money was moved straight from her house in Abuja and paid into the seller’s First Bank account in Abuja.
Ozioko told the court, “Nothing could be more suspicious than someone keeping such huge amounts in her apartment. Why was she doing that? To avoid attention.
“We are convinced beyond reasonable doubts because, as of the time this happened, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke was still in public service as the Minister of Petroleum Resources.”
After listening to Ozioko’s submission, Justice Obiozor made an order temporarily seizing the property and the funds.
The judge directed that the order should be published in a national newspaper.
Justice Ozioko, consequently adjourned the matter till August 7, 2017 for anyone interested in the property and funds to appear before him.
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