Court orders final forfeiture of $899,600 linked to ex-Bauchi SSG
Court
orders final forfeiture of $899,600 linked to ex-Bauchi SSG
A justice of the Federal High court, Zinab Abubakar sitting at the
federal high court In Abuja has ordered the final Forfeiture of $899,600. This
amount was recovered from an apartment in Abuja that was allegedly occupied by
Ibrahim Ahmed Dandija a former secretary to the government of Bauchi State.
According to Ekele Iheanacho, Lawyer to the EFCC, the anti-graft
agency approached the court over claims that the agency received intelligence
reports bordering on Money laundering. The report added that illicit funds are
stashed at Sigma Apartment LTD. located at Wuse Abuja. The house was searched
and a safe containing the money was found Iheanacho said.
The counsel to the EFCC told the court that their findings
revealed that the apartment was secured by Dandija the former SSG to the
government of Bauchi state. He uses the apartment to store his Valuables but
all efforts to get his response proved abortive. He also refused to honor the
invitation to explain his links to the money. The counsel added that one
Suleiman later came forth to claim ownership of the money. Suleiman explained
that he engages in chartering of aircraft through his company Montes Auri Ltd
and he received the said amount on behalf of a company.
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The EFCC counsel said that the agency did inquiry the Federal
Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority
(NCAA). But there were no records of Suleiman`s company or its activities.
On October 31, 2019, the court granted an order of interim
Forfeiture upon an ex-parte application by the EFCC.
Justice Abubakar while delivering his judgment for the final
forfeiture on February 22, said that Abdallah Suleiman who claimed he owned the
funds failed to establish his claim with sustainable evidence.
The judge ruled that Suleiman was unable to supply credible
evidence to sustain his claim that he engages in chartering of aircraft through
his company Montes Auri Ltd and that he received the money on behalf of a
company.
Dandija and Sigma Apartment Ltd were however discharged by the
judge as respondents in the case since the EFFCC was not able to establish any
action against them. She held that there was no evidence showing that the third
respondent (Sigma Apartment) has committed any offense.
The second
defendant in the person of Dandija denied ownership of the funds. He only
admitted to securing the apartment on behalf of Suleiman who also happens to be
the one who pays the rent.
