Deborah Onyofufeke, Abuja.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, vacated an interim forfeiture of 40 landed properties granted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, against the former Deputy Senate President,  Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

The order was nullifed following an application Ekweremadu’s team of lawyers led by Chief Adegboyega Awomolo filed.

The presiding judge agreed that the Forfeiture Order was fraudulently obtained by the Federal Government against the properties.

The Judge while lifting the order held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission which obtained the order on behalf of the Federal Government concealed information that led to granting it.

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Specifically, Justice Ekwo said that EFCC which was fully aware that Ekweremadu was in custody in the United Kingdom failed to make the vital information available to court.

With his detention in London, the Judge agreed with Chief Adegboyega Awomolo SAN, counsel to Ekweremadu that there was no way former Deputy Senate’s President would be opportuned to defend his ownership of the disputed properties.

Justice Ekwo had on November 4 last year issued the interim Forfeiture Order in favour of the Federal Government following an ex-parte application brought before him by EFCC.

In an ex-parte application marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1242/2022, which was accompanied with an affidavit of urgency, EFCC identified the properties as subject of an ongoing investigation.

The Judge specifically directed that anybody who had interest in the forfeited properties should indicate within 14 days of  the publication of the interim forfeiture order from the court.

The former Deputy Senate President and his wife are currently standing trial in the United Kingdom over an alleged organ harvest.