A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday ordered a final forfeiture of at least 20 properties linked to the convicted former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, in a judgment, held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt that the properties located in deferent parts of the country were acquired illegally.
According to Justice Abdulmalik, the applicant effectively discharged its responsibility, under the law, to establish that the properties were acquired with proceeds of crime.
The judge also held that the “various individuals, who responded to an earlier interim forfeiture order, requiring interested parties to show cause why the properties should not be permanently forfeited, failed to establish their ownership of the affected properties with credible evidence.”
Out of the 23 property listed in the schedule, three of them were left out, which include Flat 42C, SMC Quarters, Unguwan Dosa, Kaduna; Plot 18, Road F, on TPO 462B C of O Kd5469 and Plot of C of O Bo/426 Beacon B5086, B5087, B5105, B5104, B5099 Cadastral Zone B05 Utako.
Maina’s wife, Laila, who claimed to be a citizen of the United States, and some of his relatives and associates, including Uwani Usman, Alhaji Aminu Yakubu Wambai, Haruna Mu’azu Musa and Aliyu Abdullahi, had claimed ownership of the 23 properties.
The anti-graft agency had earlier obtained an order of interim forfeiture of 23 properties linked to Maina, currently serving an eight-year jail term for pension fraud to the tune of N2 billion.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Abdulmalik agreed with lawyer to the EFCC, Farouk Abdullah that those who claimed to own the property failed to effectively establish the alleged ownership by producing credible evidence.