Asset Forfeiture: Suspects lose case in court

An FCT High Court, sitting at Apo, on Monday continued hearing in the case of alleged failure to declare assets without reasonable excuse against the Tumsah brothers, Ibrahim and Tijjani.

Justice Muawiyah Idris, in his submission, denied the motion of the defence counsel to dismiss the case and adjourned the case to April 30.

Ibrahim Tumsah and Tijani Tumsah are both standing trial on a two count charge bordering on refusal to declare their assets without reasonable excuse.

The prosecutor, Abdul Mohammed, said the offense contravene section 3[3] 1[a] of the Recovery of the public Property [special provision] Act 2004.

The defendants who were arraigned on February 8, however, pleaded not guilty to the offenses.

Earlier in the case, the court ordered that 86 luxury vehicles, together with four houses and a quarry plant in Kuje, Abuja, belonging to the defendants, be temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government.

Justice Idris made the interim forfeiture orders on December 6, 2017.

Ibrahim who is a Director of Finance and Account in the Housing section of Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, was said to have acquired the properties between 2016 and 2017.