Court orders temporary forfeiture of Delta Senator’s properties, bank accounts

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered an interim forfeiture of properties belonging to the lawmaker representing Delta North senatorial district, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi.

Delivering judgment on Tuesday, July 2, in suit filed by the special presidential investigation panel for the recovery of public property headed by Okoi Obono-Obla, Justice Taiwo O.

According to the ruling, 14 properties and 22 bank accounts linked to the senator are to be temporarily forfeited to the federal government.

Taiwo, also placed a post-no-debit order on 22 bank accounts linked to Nwaoboshi.

The senator was given 30 days to justify how he acquired the properties and convince the court not to grant a permanent forfeiture of the assets to the Nigerian government.

“That interim order is hereby made forfeiting all the property alleged belong to the 1st Respondent (Nwaoboshi) being suspicious assets or assets far and beyond the legitimate income of the 1st respondent particularly those on the amended schedule to this application pending the investigation or motion on notice in the matter.

“That an order is hereby made restraining the 2nd-5th Respondents from posting any debt or withdrawals on all the accounts belonging to the first respondents particularly those on the amended schedule to the application attached to this order,” the two forfeiture order read.

While the 22 bank accounts are domiciled in four different commercial banks, the forfeited properties are located in Delta, Abuja and Lagos.