From Wole Adedeji, Ilorin.
An Ilorin Hogh Court has ordered the forfeiture of an Hotel owned by a low cadre civil servant in Kwara State.
The hotel, according to sources is worth about N150 million and the civil servant is said to be a staff of a top government office in the immediate regime of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.
The case had been taken to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,EFCC, but the name of the civil servant is yet to be mentioned.
A statement signed by Wilson Uwujaren, the EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, in Ilorin said Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of the Kwara State High Court, sitting in Ilorin, gave order for the forfeiture of the property.
Uwujaren said that the hotel was seized together with a landed property, which comprised three bedroom flats building, two wings of two bedroom flats and a room and parlour apartment.
Uwujare said Justice Oyinloye in his judgment said EFCC has been able to prove its case beyond reasonable doubts and that the evidence presented before the court was strong and reliable
“The interim order of this honourable court was published in The Nation Newspaper while the court’s processes were served alongside with the hearing notice to the defendant.
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“Despite all this, the defendant did not show up to explain why the said property should not be forfeited to the federal government
“The evidence of EFCC was not challenged by the defendant or any interested parties to the suit, therefore, this honourable
court is of the opinion that the defendant was fully informed about the proceedings.
“In view of the foregoing, this honourable court hereby ordered that the said property be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria,” Uwujaren quoted Justice Oyinloye as ruling.
The EFCC spokesman said the prosecution counsel, Nnemeka Omewa, had earlier in his motion, urged Oyinloye to grant the prayers of the commission for the forfeiture.
Parts of the prayers, Uwujare said were “an order of this honourable court forfeiting to the federal government of Nigeria an unregistered Toyota Camry 2008 model.
“A gold coloured Parsche Cayanne vehicle, recovered by the commission from the respondent, which is reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activity.”
He added that relying on the motion and 13 exhibits attached, Justice Oyinloye ordered the cars recovered from the respondent to be forfeited to the federal government.
