Justice Hassan Dikko of the Federal High Court, Bauchi will on December 10, 2018 rule on the final forfeiture of a property linked to Isa Yuguda, a former Bauchi State governor, believed to be proceeds of illegal activities.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had approached the court arguing that the property located at 184 Attahiru Bafarawa Close, Besides Fariah Suites, Old GRA was obtained by him using money diverted from the security vote of the state government during his tenure as governor.
EFCC alleged that the money was used to service the loan used to buy the property in 2011.
Pursuant to an application earlier brought by EFCC before the court, an order of interim forfeiture of the property to the Federal Government was granted with an order that same should be published on the EFCC website and Daily Trust newspaper on May 24, 2018.
Following the publication of the Court Order, Yuguda through his counsel, Samuel O. Zibiri, SAN, filed processes to have the order vacated.
Hearing in the matter took place on November 26, 2018 where EFCC through its counsel, G.K. Latona and Aisha Ibrahim urged the court to dismiss the processes filed on behalf of Yuguda.
The EFCC counsel urged the court to grant final forfeiture of the property to the FGN in line with sections 44(2)(B) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006″.
“The commission had clearly shown from its affidavit evidence that the money used to service the loan for acquisition of the property was stolen from Bauchi state security vote,” Latona said.
He thus applied for non-conviction based forfeiture of the said property, clarifying further that “contrary to the position of Respondent’s lawyer, the suit was a non-conviction forfeiture proceedings which was an action in rem against property not predicated on arrest or conviction.”
After listening to the arguments, Justice Dikko, adjourned till December 10, 2018 for judgement. NAN
