A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to release its hold on N220 million and properties linked to former Acting Accountant General of the Federation, Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku, ruling the forfeiture bid an abuse of court process.
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday ordered the EFCC to lift all restrictions on N220 million and properties linked to former Acting Accountant General of the Federation, Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku, in a non-conviction final forfeiture case.
Justice Umar Mohammed, delivering the ruling, held that the same assets were already captured in a criminal charge before Justice James Omotosho, making the EFCC’s forfeiture application an abuse of court process.
“At this stage, this Court agrees with the submission of Nwabuoku that this suit amounts to an abuse of court process, and I so hold,” the judge ruled.
Justice Umar subsequently ordered the EFCC to “relinquish, lift, or remove forthwith any control, embargo, limitation, or restrictions” imposed on Nwabuoku’s listed properties, advising the Commission to return with a similar application after conclusion of the criminal trial.
Nwabuoku had earlier been convicted and sentenced by Justice James Omotosho in a separate criminal case, with N1.9 billion worth of shares, N288 million and a five-bedroom duplex also forfeited.
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