11th August, 2021
By Abankula
Former Imo state governor, Rochas Okorocha has lost a second attempt to stop the confiscation of his ill-gotten assets.
A Federal High Court, ruling in Abuja today, rejected Okorocha’s application to restrain the Imo State Government and the EFCC from confiscating his properties.
It was the second time such application was disfavoured by the court.
On Monday, an Owerri court also declined to stop the Imo state government from implementing a White Paper on a report recommending the seizure of his assets.
The application was filed by his wife and Okorocha Foundation, in what may be counted as an abuse of court process.
At the hearing on Wednesday, counsel to Senator Okorocha, Mr Oba Maduabuchi (SAN), told Justice Ahmed Mohammed that the properties of his client were being marked for confiscation and demolition.
He prayed the court to issue an interim order to the EFCC and the Imo State Government not to carry on with their action.
The application, however, could not go through following a motion by the counsels to the Imo government and the EFCC challenging the jurisdiction of the court to sit on the matter during the vacation period.
In his judgment, Justice Ahmed Mohammed refused to grant Okorocha’s application on the ground that he would first have to hear the motion challenging his jurisdiction to sit on the matter during vacation.
He adjourned the matter till August 24.