The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned five individuals for allegedly tampering with a forfeited property.
Lagos Zonal Directorate arraigned the suspects before Justice A.O. Owoeye of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday.
The defendants, Benjamin Okoye, Moughalu David Arinze, Okey Okeke, Ekene Mgbeokwere, and Eboh Thaddeus, were charged alongside Ilongwo Angela, who is currently at large.
The charge pertains to their alleged unauthorized occupation and tampering with a property located at Plot 165C, Block 12, Amuwo Odofin, Ajayi Street, Diamond Estate, Lagos, which is under an interim forfeiture order to the Federal Government.
The count reads: “That you, Ilongwo Angela (now at large), Benjamin Okoye, Moughalu David Arinze, Okey Okeke, Ekene Mgbeokwere, Eboh Thaddeus, sometime in July 2024 in Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without due authorization dealt, with the property of Obinna Ezenwaka situate and located at Plot 165C, Block 12, Amuwo Odofin, Ajayi Street, Diamond Estate, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos, subject of interim forfeiture to the Federal Government of Nigeria, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 32(1) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004.”
According to Dele Oyewale, EFCC Head of Media & Publicity, their actions contravened Section 32(1) of the EFCC Establishment Act, 2004. The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Prosecution counsel Hannatu U. KofarNaisa informed the court that the EFCC was ready to proceed with the trial and presented a witness to testify.
However, the defense counsel, M.C. Odo, representing the first to fourth defendants, requested bail for his clients, citing their prolonged detention. Counsel for the fifth defendant, N. Chukwuemeka, also referenced a prior bail granted to his client.
In response, KofarNaisa stated that she had not received the defense counsel’s bail applications. The court confirmed this and adjourned the case to January 24, 2025, to rule on the bail requests.
The prosecution called Abubakar Mohammed, an EFCC operative and custodian of forfeited assets, as its witness. Mohammed testified that on July 22, 2024, during an inspection of the property, he met the defendants and informed them of its interim forfeiture status.
“Despite being asked to vacate the property, the defendants later broke the padlock and returned,” Mohammed said.
He confirmed their arrest for tampering with the forfeited asset.
The court admitted the interim forfeiture order dated October 6, 2017, as evidence and marked it as Exhibit A. Mohammed further disclosed that the property was subject to a final forfeiture order from the Lagos State High Court.
Justice Owoeye adjourned the trial to February 14, 2025, for the continuation of proceedings, allowing the prosecution to submit additional documents.
