Justice Mohammed
Yinusa of the Federal High Court, Lagos today July 8, 2015 convicted four
companies associated with former governor of Enugu State, Chimaroke Nnamani and
ordered that their properties be forfeited to the Federal Government. The
four companies are Rainbownet Nigeria Limited, Cosmos FM, Capital City
Automobile Nigeria Limited and Renaissance University Teaching Hospital
The companies had
on May 19, 2015 pleaded guilty to a 10-count amended charge brought against
them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The companies are
alleged to have failed to comply with lawful inquiry made by the Commission.
At today’s
sitting, counsel to the EFCC Kelvin Uzozie prayed the court to make an
order of final forfeiture of the companies based on their plea. Justice Yinusa
after reviewing the facts convicted the companies and made an order of final
forfeiture of their assets to the Federal Government, citing provision of the
EFCC Establishment Act on Final Forfeiture.
The properties
are located across the five states in the South East geopolitical zone.
Among them are 22
Duplex buildings in Ebeano Under Tunnel Estate now known as Fidelity Estate;
Renaissance University Teaching Hospital; Cosmos 105.5 FM Digital Station
(Ceuna Communications); and Capital City Automobile Limited, located at 12
Station Road ,GRA, Enugu. Also forfeited to the Federal Government include
properties of Hill Gate Investment - Plot No H12, H13, H14, H15,
H21`, H116, H188, Plot 10, Plot H11, Plot H16, Plot H17, Plot H18, Plot 19,
Plot H20, Plot H49, Plot H50, Plot H117, CP/4 (HCR2), CP5 (HCR2) CP/6(HCR2)
CP/7 (HCR2) CP/8
The assets also
include several undeveloped properties/plots of land of Rainbownet
Nigeria Limited in Enugu, Abakaliki, Aba, Owerri, Onitsha, Awka and Umuahia.
Properties of
Rainbownet Communication which include BTS, Microwave Avenue Radio,
Rectifiere, and a host of the equipment in various sites in Anambra
States are also to be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Aside the landed
properties, over N35 million from the frozen bank accounts of the companies are
also to the forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Uzozie who is
pleased with the ruling of the court said the Commission had to sought for a
separate trial of the companies as the first accused person, former governor of
Enugu State, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani had stalled proceedings on the matter on
account of frequent application to travel abroad for medical treatment on
grounds of ill-health.
Chimaroke Nnamani
alongside Sunday Anyaogu, his then aide and six firms linked to them:
Rainbownet Nigeria Limited, Hillgate Nigeria Limited, Cosmos FM, Capital City
Automobile Nigeria Limited, Renaissance University Teaching Hospital and Mea
Mater Elizabeth High School were first arraigned before Justice Tijani Abubakar
in 2007. The case was re-assigned to Justice Charles Archibong following
the transfer of Justice Abubakar, now of the Appeal Court, out of the Lagos
division of the Federal High Court. Again, the case was re-assigned to Justice
Yinusa, after Justice Archibong (now retired) was also transferred out of the
Lagos division of the court.
According to the
charge, Nnamani conspired with other accused persons to launder funds from the
state treasury, especially monies meant for the local government areas of Enugu
state.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media &
Publicity
7th
July, 2015
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