Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the permanent forfeiture of 20 cars, allegedly stolen from residential driveways and company car lots in Canada and shipped to Nigeria to the federal government of Nigeria.
Justice Dipeolu made the order after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) moved a motion on notice for the forfeiture of the cars since no person or organisation came forward to claim them.
The judge had on May 27, 2024, ordered the interim forfeiture of the cars while directing the EFCC to publish the order for any interested person to appear before the court and show cause why it should not be finally forfeited.
But at the resumed hearing, the EFCC lawyer, Rahman Abdulrasheed told the court that his agency had complied with the court’s directives.
Abdulrasheed also submitted that the final forfeiture orders sought by his employer were under Section 44(2)(B) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended); Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and under the court’s inherent jurisdiction.
The lawyer also asked the court for “an order of the Court forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria all the properties mentioned in the attached schedules of this application, which properties are reasonably suspected to have been acquired through stealing and with proceeds from other unlawful economic activities.
“An order of the Court empowering the Canadian Deputy High Commission in Nigeria or any other officer so designated by the office to dispose of the forfeited properties mentioned in the attached Schedules 1-2 of this application either by sale or return to the victims, subject to remittance of the statutory two per cent from the proceeds to the EFCC Recovery Account.”
Justice Dipeolu, after listening to the anti-graft agency’s lawyer and reading through all the processes filed before the court with the authorities cited, granted the prayers sought and ordered the final forfeiture of 20 cars.
The cars with their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) finally forfeited to the Federal government are black colour SUV 400, 4JGDA5GB4JB171399; 4MATIC Mercedes Benz white colour, 5J8YD4H8XKL802910; SUV MDX SH-AWD Acura, JTJDZKCA7J2001379; grey colour SUV RS 350L Lexus, ZT2BZMCAIKC169393; Deep Blue SUV RX 350 Lexus, JTEBUS5JR2F524329; white colour Toyota 4Runner 2015, 2T2ZMDA4LC226597; White Colour 2020 model Lexus RX 350, 2TBZMCA5KC176315; White 2019 Lexus RX 350, 2T2JZMDA71C250961; Black 2020 Model Lexus RX350, 5FPYK3FIXHB506759; and Black Honda Ridgeline 2017 Model, 2T2BZMCA6J140258.
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