6th November, 2018
Akin Kuponiyi
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria on Tuesday adjourned till November 12, 2018 to decide the application filed before the court seeking final forfeiture to the Federal Government of Nigeria the sum of N2.2 billion recovered from a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu.
The presiding Judge, Mojisola Olatoregun had earlier ordered an order of interim forfeiture of the said sum, on June 14, 2018 following an exparte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Joined as respondents in the suit are Amosu, and a limited liability company, Solomon Enterprises Ltd.
The Anti-graft agency had argued that the sums were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
Justice Olatoregun also issued an interim order for the temporary forfeiture of N190 million recovered from a former Air Force Director of Finance and Budget, Air Commodore Olugbenga Gbadebo.
The court further ordered a temporary forfeiture of N101 million recovered from Solomon Enterprises, a company linked to Amosu.
The judge also directed EFCC to publish the interim orders in two national dailies, for the respondents or any other interested party, to show cause why a final order of forfeiture should not be made.
EFCC’s legal officer, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo appeared for the commission while Mr Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN) appeared for the first respondent.
Mr Oluwakemi Balogun (SAN) represented the Intervener/interested party (Bolaji Adigun)
Chief Ayorinde, told the court that he had a motion seeking to regularise, as well as another, seeking extension of time for the first respondent to file an affidavit to show cause, as directed by the court. The two applications were granted.
In response, however, Oyedepo told the court that he had only been served with a counter affidavit of the interested party, but had not received both the application for joinder and that seeking extension of time.
Following this development, and the court, observing that there were no proof of service in its file, adjourned the case till 12 November, 2018 for hearing.
In a counter affidavit deposed to by an EFCC operative, MUSA Danladi, the commission alleged that while in office, the respondents diverted huge sums of money from the Nigerian Air force accounts, to purchase properties both within and outside the country.
He said that Amosu who was appointed Chief of staff on Jan.16, 2014, had in the course of his service, received budgetary provisions in the sum of N4.5 billion, from Patrick Akpobolokemi, a former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
The sum was said to be for Maritime Security Support, pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Nigerian Air force and NIMASA.
The Commission averred that part of the sums were utilised by the respondent for personal gains.