The Federal High Court, Abuja, has approved the application of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for interim forfeiture of 14 properties linked to a former Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bala Mohammed.
Bala Mohammed is standing trial bordering on abuse of office, false declaration of assets and a N864 million fraud before an FCT high court by the EFCC which had seized the said properties in September.
Counsel to EFCC, Ben Ikani, told the Court that some of the properties were suspected to have been acquired from proceeds of unlawful activity having filed an ex parte application on Wednesday.
“Some properties reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities and crimes kept and concealed in names of proxies and nominees have been recovered and seized,” the affidavit deposed by the EFCC, read.
Some of the properties seized are:
- Undeveloped plot measuring 1.26 hectares at 1261 Cadastral Zone C16, Industrial Area 1 Extension, Abuja under Diakin Telecommunications Ltd
- Undeveloped plot measuring 8, 657.30 square meter at 13 Cadastral Zone D06, Karasana West, Abuja under Bal Vac Mining Ltd
- Undeveloped plot measuring 1.45 hectares at 1248 Cadastral Zone C16, Industrial Area 1 Extension, Abuja
- undeveloped plot measuring 2.7 hectares at 4525 Cadastral Zone A09, Guzape, Abuja under Bal VAc Mining Ltd.
- Undeveloped plot measuring 64507.03 square meter at 32 Cadastral Zone D06, Carasana Wests, Abuja under Diakin Telecommunications Ltd
- Undeveloped plot measuring 1251.15 square meter at 1420 Cadastral Zone B10, Dakibiyu, Abuja under Diakin Telecommunication Limited amongst others.
Ikani said that any interested party who had a reason why the properties should not be forfeited to the government should state so.
The Presiding judge, Nnamdi Dimgba, in his ruling, ordered that the properties be forfeited permanently to the federal government within 21 days. [myad]
