A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered the final forfeiture of the Abuja mansion acquired by a former governor of Plateau State, Senator Joshua Dariye, to the Federal Government.
Dariye is currently serving jail term following his successful prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory on charges of criminal breach of trust and dishonest conversion of about N1.2bn belonging to his state.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu, in a judgment, dismissed an application by Dariye in which he had among others, prayed the court to release the property known as Plot 1802 A04, No: 19 Fredrick Chiluba Close, Asokoro, Abuja to him.
Justice Egwuatu upheld the argument by lawyer to the EFCC, Oluwaleke Atolagbe that Dariye’s claim that the property belonged to his company – Ebenezer Retnan Ventures – was false because the said company has been found to be a bogus entity.
The judge found that an earlier interim forfeiture order on the property, obtained by the EFCC in the course of Dariye’s trial, was never contested.
The EFCC had, while opposing Dariye’s application, argued among others, that it obtained an interim forfeiture order in respect of the property in the course of Dariye’s trial, which was to subsist pending the conclusion of the trial.
It added that since the trial has been concluded and Dariye jailed, it is proper that the court order the final forfeiture of the convict’s known property.
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