An Abuja division of the Federal High Court has ordered the Interim forfeiture of 40 properties belonging to the former deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu.
Justice Inyang Ekwo gave the order on Friday following an ex -parte motion brought before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Ekwo also ordered the EFCC to publish the interim forfeiture order in a national daily within seven days so that anyone who has an interest in the affected properties will come forth and indicate within 14 days why the properties should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.
He then adjourned till December 5, 2022, for a report.
Locations of forfeited properties: The properties include 10 landed properties in Enugu, three in the United States of America, two in the UK, one in Lagos, nine in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, and 15 located in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.
In June, the Senator and his wife were arrested in the United Kingdom for an alleged organ harvesting offense.
- They were accused of plotting to traffic 21-year-old David Ukpo from Nigeria to the United Kingdom to transplant his organs to their daughter, who is suffering from kidney failure.
- While Senator Ike was charged with conspiracy to arrange or facilitate the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting, Beatrice was charged with arranging or facilitating the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, between August 1 last year and May 5, under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
- The alleged victim had claimed he was 15, and that he was brought to donate his kidney without his consent.
- However, records provided by the NIMC proved that the boy was 21 years old and not 15 years, as he had claimed.
- The Westminster Magistrates’ Court, in its ruling, held the alleged victim is not a minor.
