A federal high court sitting in Abuja has on Thursday, 19th December 2019 ordered the final forfeiture of six properties owned by Goddy Nnadi, the General Manager (GM) (corporate services) at the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (Management) Board.
This was contained in a statement released on Thursday by Wilson Uwujaren, head of media and publicity of the Economic and Final Crimes Commission (EFCC).
It can be recalled that Nnadi was prosecuted by the EFCC for offences bordering on conspiracy, bribery and money laundering. He was accused of running a private business against civil service rules and regulations.
Based on the allegation, he was subsequently arrested by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel (SPIP) on allegations bordering on corrupt enrichment, living beyond his lawful means of income and abuse of public office.
Also, amongst other allegations are, sometime in 2006, he used the names of some proxies to incorporate Galbani Nigeria Limited with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) after which he opened the company’s bank accounts with Zenith Bank Plc and Ecobank Plc.
It was gathered that the properties billed for the forfeiture include: a two-storey plaza, located on Plot C46, 5221 Road, Block xxiic Gwarimpa II, Estate Abuja and four detached bungalows, located on Plot NO 77, 525 Road, A Close, Kubwa Estate, Phase iv, Abuja.
According to E.E. Iheanacho, counsel to the EFCC in his submission opined that no cause has been shown as to why the properties under interim forfeiture should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) most importantly, there is “reasonable suspicion that the properties are proceeds of unlawful activities.
Additionally, the council to the EFCC posited that the commission has complied with the court order to publish the interim forfeiture order in a national daily by doing so in Leadership newspaper.
While delivering his judgement, Folashade Giwa granted the prayers contained in the EFCC’s application, dated December 2, 2019, having been convinced that the properties were acquired through unlawful and or proceeds of crime.
