BUSTED! Court Officials Allegedly Stashed Away $919,00 In Bank Account In Port Harcourt

• ICPC Secures Interim Forfeiture Order

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured an Interim Forfeiture Order on the sum of USD919,202.07 (approximately N450 million) fraudulently stashed away in a bank account allegedly being run by some court officials in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.

BIGPENNGR.COM reports the discovery followed a petition instituted against some officials of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt for alleged corrupt practices.

Sequel upon the petition, investigators in the Rivers State office of ICPC had traced the money to an interest yielding account allegedly being operated secretly by officials of the Federal High Court since 2014.

On discovery of the hidden money, the ICPC through its lawyer, Dr. Agada Akogwu filed an Ex-parte Motion for an Interim Order of Forfeiture of the money, according to Mrs. Azuka C. Ogugua, spokesperson for the Commission in a statement on Monday.

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In his ruling, Justice Mohammed Sani of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt granted the Commission’s prayers for interim forfeiture of the said sum pending the final hearing on the matter.

The judge further ruled that the ‘’orders of the court directing the interim forfeiture shall be published in any daily newspaper within 14 working days for any person interested in the said property sought to be forfeited to appear before the court to show cause why the final forfeiture orders be not made in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.’’

The matter was adjourned to 14th December 2020 for reports and final forfeiture hearing.

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