Ime Akpan
A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered interim forfeiture of 2,149 pieces of jewelries including customised gold iPhones, valued at N14bn ($40m) said to belong to a former minister of petroleum resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke
The items were said to have been recovered by the Economic and Financial Arms Commission (EFCC) in homes traced to the former minister.
Justice Nicholas Oweibo who made the order on Friday after granting an ex parte motion application brought before him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, also ordered anti-corruption agency to publish the forfeiture in five national newspapers.
In the application, the EFCC said the expensive items, comprising wristwatches, necklaces, bracelets, bangles, earrings and more, were reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities of the former minister
