Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, ordered an interim forfeiture of 40 landed properties belonging to the embattled former Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu.
Ekweremadu and his wife are currently standing trial in the United Kingdom over alleged organ harvest preferred against them by the London police.
Ibrahim Buba on behalf of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had requested the order of Interim forfeiture following an ex-parte motion marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/1242/2022, which he filed.
The trial Judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, while ruling on the order in a short ruling on the exparte motion, ordered the anti-graft agency to publish the interim forfeiture order of the properties in a national daily within seven days from the date the order was given.
Justice Ekwo specifically asked anybody, who has a claim and interested over the properties covered by the interim forfeiture order to indicate within 14 days of the publication of the interim forfeiture order of the court.
Justice Ekwo, thereafter, adjourned till Dec. 5, 2022, for a report, if there is any objection from any member of the public regarding the properties.
According to the EFCC, the interim forfeiture order covers 10 Ekweremadu’s properties in Enugu, three in the United States of America (USA), two in the United Kingdom (UK), one in Lagos, nine in Dubai, and 15 located in the Federal Capital Territory.
The ruling of the judge put the on alert, members of the public interested in the properties, covered by the interim forfeiture order to within 14 days of the newspaper publication, inform the court why the properties should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.