A federal high court sitting in Lagos on Monday ordered the final forfeiture of the sum of the $37.5m mansion in Banana Island, Lagos, believed to belong to the former minister of petroleum resources, Mrs. Deziani Alison Madueke to the Federal government.
The court equally ordered that the rents which accrued from the property totalling $2,740,197.96 and N84,537,840.70 be also forfeited to the federal government.
The EFCC had on July 19, 2017, obtained a temporary forfeiture of the property designated as Building 3, Block B, Bella Vista Plot 1, Zone N, Federal Government Layout, Banana Island Foreshore Estate, which is said to have 24 apartments, 18 flats, and six penthouses.
Mr. Anselem Ozioko, counsel to the anti graft agency on Monday informed the court that the publication order had been complied with.
He, however, noted that even after the second and third respondent in the case, Afamefuna Nwokedi, and a company, Rusimpex Limited, they did not show up in court to contest the forfeiture order.
“In summary, it appears as if they are not willing to contest this application,” Ozioko said, urging Justice Obiozor to go ahead and order the permanent forfeiture of the property and the funds.
In a short ruling, The judge held, “In the face of the publication, which I find in Exhibit B of the affidavit of compliance before me, and there being no responses from any interested party, I have no other option but to grant the orders as prayed.”