Final Forfeiture: Malami knows fate July 10 over 57 properties

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday adjourned judgment in the final forfeiture suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against 57 properties linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Justice Joyce Abdulmalik shifted the judgment to July 10.

The court had earlier fixed Monday for judgment after lawyers representing the EFCC, Malami and other respondents adopted their processes and presented their arguments.

The matter, listed as number four on Monday’s cause list, could not proceed.

No reason was given for the adjournment.

The EFCC is seeking the final forfeiture of the properties, which it said were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

At the last sitting, EFCC’s lawyer, Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, urged the court to grant the application.

Okutepa said the motion, filed in February, was supported by a 47-paragraph affidavit and 46 exhibits.

He argued that Malami and the other respondents had “woefully failed to show cause” that the properties were acquired legitimately.

The EFCC lawyer urged the court to permanently forfeit the properties to the Federal Government.

However, counsel to Malami and other respondents, Adedayo Adedeji, SAN, opposed the application.

Adedeji said Malami filed a 109-paragraph affidavit to show cause why the final forfeiture order should not be granted.

He urged the court to set aside the interim forfeiture order and hold that the properties were not acquired from proceeds of crime.

He argued that the EFCC relied on suspicion rather than evidence.

“The court deals with evidence, not suspicion,” Adedeji said.

He also argued that some of the properties were acquired before Malami became AGF.

Other lawyers representing individuals and companies listed in the suit also asked the court to dismiss the EFCC’s final forfeiture application.

The matter will now come up on July 10 for judgment.