Emefiele disowns forfeited assets, says property belong to relative
A former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has denied the ownership of some funds and property forfeited to the Federal Government on the order of the Federal High Court in Lagos.
Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday ordered the final forfeiture of $4.7m, N830m, and multiple properties said to be linked to the former apex bank boss.
The judge, who had earlier dismissed an application brought by an interested party seeking to stop the judgment from being delivered, granted the final forfeiture application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Reacting in a press statement issued late Friday by Olawale Fapohunda on behalf of his legal team, Emefiele also distanced his immediate family from ownership of the said properties and funds.
While admitting that part of the assets belonged to his relatives, Emefiele asked those associating him and his immediate family with the assets to stop doing so in the interest of fairness.
The former CBN governor stated that a company, DeepBlue Energy Limited, established in 2009, is owned by his relative and not himself, as being peddled in the media.
He stated that Justice Aneke of the same Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, had previously discharged an interim forfeiture order on the same assets, which is now ordered to be forfeited by Justice Bogoro.
The statement read in parts, “Our attention has been drawn to recent news reports indicating that Justice Bogoro of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, has granted a final forfeiture order on certain properties allegedly linked to one Anita Joy Omoile and her companies, including DeepBlue Energy Limited.
“It is important to clarify that DeepBlue Energy Limited, established in 2009, is owned by a relative of our client, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, but not by Mr. Emefiele himself.
“For the avoidance of any doubt, we, as the legal representatives of Godwin Emefiele, categorically disassociate our client from the ownership of the assets in question.
“For emphasis, the assets in question do not belong to our client or any member of his immediate family.
“Furthermore, information reaching us suggests that Justice Aneke of the same Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, had previously discharged an interim forfeiture order on the same assets now forfeited by Honourable Justice Bogoro.
“We urge all stakeholders and members of the public to take note of this clarification and stop associating these assets with Mr. Godwin Emefiele.”
