Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the final forfeiture of $16.5 million and N127 million fraudulently diverted from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to the Federal Government.
Justice Ogundare gave the judgement on Tuesday while granting an application filed and moved by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The money, according to the EFCC lawyer Sulaiman I. Sulaiman, were proceeds of unlawful activities.
Justice Ogundare had, on May 23, ordered the interim forfeiture of the money, while granting an ex parte motion brought before the court pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14. 2006; and Section 44 (2)(B) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
After ordering the interim forfeiture, the court directed the EFCC to publish the order in a national newspaper, to show cause why the money should not be finally forfeited to the government. At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, Suleiman told the court that the publication was made on June 6.
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