By Akinwale Kasali
Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has heaved a sigh of relief, following a Court judgment, ordering the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to return his seized houses to him.
The Federal High Court in Lagos, had, on Thursday, reversed its order forfeiting to the Federal Government, two houses in Ilorin, belonging him.
The court, in a judgment delivered by Justice Rilwan Aikawa, released the houses to Saraki, while delivering a judgment on an application by the EFCC, seeking to permanently forfeit the houses to the Federal Government.
In December, 2019, the EFCC secured a Court order for the interim forfeiture of the former Kwara State Governor houses on Plots No. 10 and No. 11 Abdulkadir Road, GRA, Ilorin, Kwara State, claiming that they were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities allegedly perpetrated by Saraki while he was Kwara State Governor between 2003 and 2011.
Attempts by the EFCC to convert the temporary forfeiture order to a permanent forfeiture order was vehemently resisted by Saraki, leading eventually to the discharge of the temporary forfeiture order on Thursday.
The Judge said he found no sufficient basis in the EFCC application, and could not “find my way through” to grant the permanent forfeiture order.
In its application, the EFCC had told the court how it received and investigated “a damning intelligence report, showing monumental fraud perpetrated in the treasury of the Kwara State Government between 2003 and 2011,” when Saraki was the governor of the state.
An operative of the EFCC, Olamide Sadiq, said, “Whilst investigation was ongoing, several fraudulent transactions were discovered.
“I know for a fact, and verily believe, that our investigation has revealed the following mind-boggling findings, among others:
“That between 2003 and 2011, Dr Olubukola Abubakar Saraki was the Executive Governor of Kwara State.
“That whilst he held the aforementioned position, the common pattern was that after payment of monthly allocation by the Federal Government to the Kwara State Government, a cumulative sum of not less than N100m will be deposited into the Kwara Government House account.
“That upon the payment of the said N100m, same will, in turn, be withdrawn in cash by one Mr Afeez Yusuf from the Kwara State Government House, Ilorin’s account in bits and brought to the Government House.”
Counsel to Saraki, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, described the EFCC suit as an abuse of court process and an attempt to scandalise him.
He argued that it was a ploy by the EFCC to review the July 6, 2018 decision of the Supreme Court “discharging the applicant from culpability arising from the same money and houses which are the subject matter of this action.
