Court Orders Final Forfeiture Of Hospital Facility Owned By Sitting Senator
Written by darling on December 9, 2019
A Federal High Court sitting in Owerri, the Imo State capital has ordered the final forfeiture of a multi-million-naira hospital facility allegedly belonging to the senator representing Ideato North and South Federal constituency, Pascal Obi.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on August 22, 2019, secured the interim forfeiture of the property from a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, following evidence that the multi-million naira facility may have been acquired through fraudulent and corrupt activities.
According to the anti-graft agency, funds belonging to the Imo State Government were traced to the hospital after it was established that Mr Obi was a signatory to the government house account under the Rochas Okorocha administration.
Obi who was a Principal Secretary to the former governor, however, denied ownership of the facility.
The agency further stated in a statement, that the managing director of the hospital on invitation, could not give a clear account of how the hospital was funded.
Consequently, this prompted it to file for the forfeiture of the property on July 25, 2019, under Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud, and Other Related Offences Act 2006.
In granting the request for the interim forfeiture of the property, the court ordered the anti-graft agency to publish the order in a national newspaper, which was accordingly complied, asking interested parties to show cause why the property should not be forfeited to the federal government within fourteen days from the dates of the publications.
Upon the expiration of the 14-day notice and with no one showing interest in the hospital, the commission filed for the final forfeiture of the facility which was finally granted by the federal high court in Owerri.
