Lagos Court orders forfeiture of $2m, properties linked to Ex-CBN Governor Emefiele

The Lagos Federal High Court has ordered the interim forfeiture of $2.045 million, seven properties, and shares linked to Godwin Emefiele, the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor.

Presiding judge Akintayo Aluko issued the order following an application by Rotimi Oyedepo, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), representing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Oyedepo argued that the forfeited assets are suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities. He revealed that Emefiele allegedly accepted kickbacks in exchange for allocating foreign exchange to companies in need.

Investigations found that Ifeanyi Omeke, a deputy general manager at Zenith Bank Plc and close associate of Emefiele, managed transactions for Emefiele, including acquiring and legalizing property documents in upscale areas of Lagos.

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A search of Omeke’s office uncovered seals for several companies, including Queensdorf Global Fund Limited, suspected to be shell companies used by Emefiele for money laundering.

The properties, located in high-end areas of Lagos and Delta State, were purchased through these companies to conceal the origin of the funds.

The EFCC requested that the forfeited assets be transferred to the federal government.

The judge granted the order and instructed the EFCC to publish it in a national newspaper, allowing any interested parties to contest the forfeiture within 14 days. The case has been adjourned to September 5 for further hearing.

Oyedepo said the forfeited items were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

“In the course of this investigation, it was revealed that the erstwhile CBN governor negotiated kickbacks in return for allocation of foreign exchange to some companies who were in desperate need of foreign exchange for their lawful and legitimate businesses,” he told the court.

“Upon investigation, it was revealed that one Ifeanyi Omeke, a deputy general manager and head of litigation of Zenith Bank Plc, who worked closely with Godwin Emefiele, ran several errands for him, which included the purchase and perfection of title documents for several properties located in highbrow areas of Lagos.

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“And that upon a search conducted in the office premises of Mr. Ifeanyi Collins Omeke by the operatives, several seals for various companies, including but not limited to Queensdorf Global Fund Limited, were recovered.

“That the said seals were kept in custody of Mr. Ifeanyi Collins Omeke by Godwin Emefiele, and that investigation has revealed that all seven companies… are suspected to be shell companies used by Godwin Emefiele as vehicles for money laundering and holding proceeds of his illicit activities.”

“The two shares’ certificates are of Queensdorf Global Fund Limited Trust, while the properties are all located in the highbrow Lekki and Ikoyi parts of Lagos and Agbor in Delta.

 “The landed properties are listed as two fully detached duplexes of identical structures at No. 17b Hakeem Odumosu Street, Lekki Phase 1; an undeveloped/bare land, measuring 1919.592 sqm with survey plan No. DS/LS/340 at Oyinkan Abayomi drive (formerly Queens drive), Ikoyi; a bungalow at No. 65a Oyinkan Abayomi drive, Ikoyi; a four-bedroom duplex at 12a Probyn Road, Ikoyi; an industrial complex under construction on a 22-plot of land in Agbor; eight units of undetached apartments on a plot measuring 2457.60sqm at No. 8a Adekunle Lawal road, Ikoyi; and a full duplex together with all its appurtenances on a plot of land measuring 2217.87sqm at 2a Bank road, Ikoyi.

“I also know as a fact and verily believe that the properties sought to be forfeited were acquired in the name of corporate entities with a view to concealing the unlawful origin of the funds used for their acquisition and that the title document in respect of the properties listed in schedule A herein were recovered by the team in the course of this investigation.”

Further hearing of the matter was adjourned to September 5