The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday, April 3, 2025 secured a final forfeiture of two properties before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja to the Federal Government.
The properties, located in FCT, Abuja and Kano State are linked to Aminu Sidi Garunbabba, a senior staff of the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS). The properties are a four bedroom terrace masonite with boys quarter, situated in Barumark Groove Estate, Plot 667 Cadastral Zone BO3, Wuye District, Abuja and the other at N0 5 Lodge Road, Kano State.
The court granted the order, following a motion ex-parte for their final forfeiture, dated March 16, 2022 and filed by the Commission, through its lawyer, Ekele Iheanacho (SAN), pursuant to Section 44(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 17 of Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act, No 14, 2006.
The court had on February 16, 2022, granted an interim forfeiture order of the properties and directed the publication of the order in a national newspaper to make for any interested party to show cause as to why the properties should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government.
Moving the motion for the final forfeiture order at Thursday’s sitting, Iheanacho informed the court that the property was reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.
But the the defence lawyer in a preliminary objection, raised concerns that a public officer cannot be investigated and prosecuted when an ongoing administrative disciplinary action is yet to be concluded.
After listening to the submission of the lawyer to the parties, Justice Egwatu dismissed the objection and granted the request of the EFCC for a final forfeiture.
The judge held that the matter was a non-conviction based forfeiture which is different from a criminal charge that targets an individual and the simultaneous actions do not amount to abuse of court process.
Justice Egwuatu said, “This case targets properties suspected to be proceeds of crime, the two cases are different. A criminal case requires proving beyond reasonable doubt while in this case, only a suspicion suffices. Both actions can go on simultaneously and one cannot abate the other. The parties are different, the target in both cases are different, one is proved beyond reasonable doubt and the other is reasonable suspicion.
“The issues are also different, a person cannot be allowed to benefit from illegitimate acts. The respondent failed to show any reasonable cause that the funds used in purchasing the property is from his legitimate earnings, so the request for final forfeiture is granted”
The journey to the final forfeiture started with EFCC’s intelligence that unraveled the corrupt activities of FIRS officials who conspired among themselves and defrauded the Service of millions of naira under the guise of Duty Tour Allowances for non-existence trips.
 on Thursday, April 3, 2025 secured a final forfeiture of two properties before){kind=link}