The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu, to temporarily forfeit the sum of N2, 244,500,000 to the Federal Government.
The order was made by Justice Mojisola Olatoregun at the instance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which told the court that the sum was reasonably suspected to be proceeds of an unlawful activity.
The judge made an interim order forfeiting to the Federal Government the total sum of N2, 244,500,000 found and recovered by the commission from the first respondent (Amosu), which was reasonably suspected to be proceeds of an unlawful activity.
Justice Olatoregun also granted an interim order for the temporary forfeiture of N190, 828,978.15 recovered from a former Air Force Director of Finance and Budget, Air Commodore Olugbenga Gbadebo.
She further ordered the temporary forfeiture of N10m recovered from Solomon Enterprises, a company linked to Amosu.
The judge directed the EFCC to publish the interim order in The PUNCH and The Nationso that the respondents or anyone interested could show cause why the final order of forfeiture should not be made in favour of the Federal Government.
The judge adjourned until June 29.
Amosu and Adigun were said to have, between July 17 and September 16, 2014, allegedly removed over N663.4m from the Nigerian Air Force accounts to purchase properties at 50-52 Tenterden Grove, London (NW4 1TH) and at 93B Shirehall Park, LondonNW4 2QU, United Kingdom.
They were accused of buying 40A, Bourdillon, Ikoyi, with N900m and a property at Sinari Daranijo, Victoria Island with N1.5bn.
EFCC said they also bought a property named as Cappadol Mall at Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Wuse II, Abuja for N750m, as well as a property worth over N1.7bn at Agobogba Street, Parkview, Ikoyi, Lagos, using the airforce’s money.
Other properties they allegedly bought using Air Force’s funds include one at Salt Lake Street, Maitama, Abuja; one at Agadez Street, off Aminu Kano Crescent, Abuja; 61A, Lake Chad Street, Maitama, Abuja; and one at 1, River Street, Wuse II, Abuja, using alleged stolen funds.
The accused allegedly used N428,139,539.00 removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force to renovate and purchase medical equipment for Solomon Health Care Ltd situated at 24, Adeniyi Jones Street, Ikeja Lagos.
Source: Punch
