EFCC urges court to dismiss Gov Bello’s application on 14 properties, N400m
The Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, is being urged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, or EFCC, to deny a request made by Governor Yahaya Bello.
The forfeiture order for 14 properties and N400 million is being challenged by the Kogi helmsman.
The court had issued an order against the properties connected to the Kogi government on February 22, 2023. They were derived from illegal activities, the EFCC insists.
The properties include Hotel Apartment Community, Burj Khalifa, Plot 160 Municipality, and Sky View Building No 1, Property No 401, Floor 4, both in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the attorney for the EFCC, told the court that the preservation order had been printed in a newspaper.
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The majority of the properties sought to be forfeited, according to Bello’s attorney Abdulwahab Mohammed, SAN, were acquired before his client took office.
The senior attorney added that Bello has constitutional immunity, so the EFCC lacks the authority to bring charges against him.
In response, Oyedepo said that when a governor loses his immunity, the state may look into him to gather information that will be used against him in court.
Justice Oweibo adjourned the case until April 20, 2023, for a decision after hearing the arguments.
