Justice Chukujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday May 23, 2023, adjourned till July 20, 2023 for ruling on the application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, seeking the final forfeiture of a property, Block C4, Unit 6, Lekki Horizon 2 Estate, Lekki, Lagos, linked to one Jayeoba Daniel Adewale, a director in Wales Kingdom Capital investment limited.
The Judge had, on May 5, 2022, ordered the interim forfeiture of the property, following an ex parte application filed by the EFCC, and also directed the Commission to publish the said order in any national newspaper.
At today’s sitting, the counsel representing the applicant, Chineye Okezie, told the court about the publication of the interim order in The Punch newspaper of May 24, 2022.
Okezie also stated that the interested party had been served the motion for final forfeiture.
She, therefore, moved the application for the final forfeiture of the property.
The motion was accompanied with a written address and the copy of the interim forfeiture.
She urged the court to grant the application for the final forfeiture of the property.
Responding, counsel to the respondent Ekwueme Sylvester, informed the court of the counter-affidavit to the applicant’s motion and a written address before the court.
Sylvester adopted the same as his arguments and also opposed the application seeking the final forfeiture of the property.
He told the court that the application lacked the appropriate stamp and seal, showing that the person who filled out the process is a legal practitioner.
He, therefore, urged the court to refuse the application seeking the final forfeiture of the property for lacking in merit, while also praying the court to set aside the interim forfeiture order.
However, counsel to the applicant, Okotie, informed the court that there was a receipt of payment with the stamp and seal attached to the process.
She, thereafter, regularized the process for the respondent.
After listening to both parties, Justice Aneke adjourned till July 20 , 2023 for ruling on the application.
