Court Orders Ex-Air Force Chief, Amosu to Forfeit N2.2bn to FG

Davidson Iriekpen

The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the temporary forfeiture of N2.2billion recovered from former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu.

Justice Mojisola Olatoregun made the order based on an ex-parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The judge ruled: “An interim order is made forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria the total sum of N2,244,500,000 found and recovered by the commission from the first respondent (Amosu) which sum is reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.”

The judge also granted an interim order for the temporary forfeiture of N190,828,978.15 recovered from a former Nigeria Air Force Director of Finance and Budget, Air Commodore Olugbenga Gbadebo.

Justice Olatoregun also ordered temporary forfeiture of N101 million recovered from Solomon Enterprises, a company linked to Amosu.
EFCC said the sum “is reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.”

The judge directed EFCC to publish the interim order in The Nation and Punch newspapers for the respondents or anyone interested to show cause why the final order of forfeiture should not be made in favour of the federal government.

Justice Olatoregun made the order on June 7 after the ex-parte application was moved by the EFCC’s lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo.
The judge adjourned until June 29.

The defendants were accused of using the companies to convert and conceal the money.

Amosu and Adigun were said to have, between July 17 and September 16, 2014, allegedly removed huge over N663.4million from the Nigerian Air Force accounts to purchase properties at 50-52 Tenterden Grove, London (NW4 1TH) and at 93B Shirehall Park, LondonNW4 2QU, United Kingdom.

They were accused of buying 40A, Bourdillon, Ikoyi, with N900million, and a property at Sinari Daranijo in Victoria Island with N1.5billion.

EFCC said they also bought a property named as Cappadol Mall at Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Wuse II Abuja, for N750million, as well as a property worth over N1.7billion at Agobogba Street, Parkview, Ikoyi Lagos, using the airforce’s money.

Other properties they allegedly bought using air force’s funds include one at Salt Lake Street, Maitama, Abuja; one at Agadez Street off Aminu Kano Crescent, Abuja; 61A, Lake Chad Street, Maitama, Abuja; and one at one, River Street, Wuse II Abuja using alleged stolen funds.

Between last March 6 and April 30, the accused allegedly used N428,139,539.00 removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force to renovate and purchase medical equipment for Solomon HealthCare Ltd situate at 24th Adeniyi Jones Street, Ikeja Lagos.

EFCC said the accused persons converted and concealed the sums, which they “reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: stealing.”
They all pleaded not guilty.