‘Final Penalty!’ Court Seizes $4.7m, N830m, Properties Tied to Emefiele (See List)

OwelekeTV (News) — A Federal High Court in Lagos has granted the final penalty of$ 4.7 million, N830 million, and multiple parcels associated with former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to the Federal Government.

Presiding over the case on Friday, Justice Yellim Bogoro upheld the operation filed by the profitable and financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), represented by Bilkisu Buhari- Bala, for the means’ endless penalty.

The finances were traced to First Bank, Titan Bank, and Zenith Bank, held under accounts linked to Omoile Anita Joy, Deep Blue Energy Service Limited, Exactquote Bureau De Change Ltd, Lipam Investment Services Limited, Tatler Services Limited, Rosajul Global resources Ltd, and TIL Communication Nigeria Ltd.

List of Confiscated Assets

Among the Assets affected by the penalty order are:

• 94 units of an 11- bottom structure under construction at 2 Otunba Elegushi 2nd Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos.
• AM Plaza, an 11- bottom office complex in Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, Lagos.
• Imore Industrial Park 1, located at Esa Street, Imoore Land, Amuwo Odofin LGA, Lagos.
  Mitrewood and Tatler Warehouse( Furniture Plant at Bogije), Ibeju- Lekki, Lagos.
• Two parcels acquired from Chevron Nigeria, deposited in Lakes Estate, Lekki, Lagos.
  A plot at Lekki Foreshore Estate Scheme, Eti- Osa, Lagos.
• An estate at 100 Cottonwood Coppel Texas Drive, Coppel, Texas, USA, linked to Lipam Investment Services.

Also another property at at Ikotun, Lagos was listed to be confiscated.

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Court Ruling and EFCC’s Case

Justice Bogoro, in his ruling, stated that the parcels and finances were linked as proceeds of unlawful exertion.

“ I find that the exertion of the attesters also were unlawful. Why should they have a problem of bones directly Godwin Emefiele left CBN as a governor of the Bank and payment couldn’t be paid?

“ I hold that they are not legit business exertion. I hold that Anita Omoile is a close crony of the former CBN governor Godwin Emefiele who has been given overdue influence to unlawfully sway bones
from CBN.

“Consequently, I find that all the moneybags and parcels in the schedule are ultimately ropped to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

The EFCC, led by Rotimi Oyedepo( SAN), had invoked Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and Section 44( 2)( b) of the Nigerian Constitution, arguing that the means were acquired through fraudulent means.

An interim penalty order was previously issued, taking the EFCC to publicize the ruling in a public review.

With no valid causes proving the legitimacy of the finances and parcels, the court progressed to issue the final penalty order.

OwelekeTV recalls that The Department of State Services (DSS) on 10th of June 2023 announced the detention of as at the time already suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Emefiele.

DSS had taken Emefiele into custody for investigative purposes.

In a statement released on Saturday 8th of June, 2023, the agency confirmed Emefiele’s detention, stating,

“The Department of State Services (DSS) hereby confirms that Mr. Godwin Emefiele, the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), is now in its custody for some investigative reasons.”

Emefiele’s arrest follows his removal by President Bola Tinubu from office on Friday 9th of June 2023.

More to come soon…