The worse might not have been seen of the immediate past Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremmadu as a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday, November 4, 2022 ordered an interim forfeiture of 40 landed properties belonging to the embattled former Deputy Senate President, who is currently in custody in the United Kingdom.
WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that the trial Judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo made the order following an ex-parte motion marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/1242/2022 filed and moved by Ibrahim Buba on behalf of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
However, in a short ruling on the exparte motion, the Judge 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.
By and large, Justice Ekwo specifically asked anybody interested in 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 however, adjourned till December 5, 2022, for a report, if there is any objection from any member of the public regarding the properties.
WITHIN NIGERIA investigation showed that 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.
It was gathered that by the ruling, members of the public interested in the properties, covered by the interim forfeiture order should, within 14 days of the newspaper publication, inform the court why the properties should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
Recall that the former Deputy Senate President and his wife are currently standing trial in the United Kingdom over alleged organ harvest.
The case of the Organ harvesting in United Kingdom, our reporter gathered was adjourned till May, 2023 for hearing.