Abuja high courts grants EFCC interim forfeiture right to seize one of Rocha's properties

FORMER Imo State governor Senator Rochas Okorocha has had one of his Abuja properties seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after an Federal Capital Territory high court gave the agency interim forfeiture rights.

Earlier today, the court ordered the interim forfeiture of the property in response to an EFCC suit claiming it was  acquired illegally. EFCC spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren, described the property located in the Garki area of Abuja as reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

He gave the full address of the property as Plot 1032 & 1033 Cadastral Zone AO3, Takum Close, Off Michika Street, Ahmadu Bello Way, Garki, Abuja. This interim forfeiture order came just some days after the EFCC lamented its inability to serve the ex-governor with the corruption charges it recently filed against him.

In January, the EFCC had filed a 17-count charge against Senator Okorocha over allegations that he conspired with others, including an All Progressives Congress (APC) politician and five companies, to steal N2.9bn from public coffers. Now, in a fresh development, the EFCC filed a motion ex-parte to seek the interim forfeiture of the Abuja property, claiming it was acquired illegally.

Justice Emeka Nweti, granted the order of interim forfeiture. He also directed that the order of interim forfeiture be published in the national dailies, to alert anyone with interest in the property to show cause why it should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

After giving his ruling, the judge then adjourned until April 13, for consideration of the motion for final forfeiture of the property. Senator Okorocha, who has been at the centre of various fraudulent acquisition of assets since leaving office as governor in May 2019, has denied any wrongdoing nit is facing multiple charges.