A Federal High Court in Abuja has given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) the permission to temporarily seize 40 properties allegedly traced to former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu.
Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice are currently standing trial in the United Kingdom over alleged organ harvest.
Justice Inyang Ekwo granted the interim forfeiture order on Friday after he heard an ex-parte application that was brought before the court by the EFCC.
Attached to the ex-parte application marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1242/2022, which was moved by a prosecutor at the EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Buba, was an affidavit of that identified the properties as subject of an ongoing investigation.
EFCC told the court that the landed properties — 10 of which are situated at Enugu, three in the United States, two in the United Kingdom, one in Lagos, nine in Dubai, and 15 in the Federal Capital Territory — are suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of crime.
Justice Ekwo ordered the anti-graft agency to within the seven days, publish the interim forfeiture order of the properties in a national daily.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter till 5th December for a report on objections from any member of the public that has interest in any of the properties.
Ekweremadu is facing trial in the United Kingdom over an allegation that he brought one David Ukpo into the country for the purpose of harvesting his organ.
Although the UK police alleged that Ukpo was 15 years old, his personal details on both his passport and Bank Verification Number subsequently revealed that he is about 21 years old.
On 26th July, a UK court released his wife on bail pending the determination of the case against them.
