The Federal High Court in Lagos State has ruled for the final forfeiture of $1,426,175.14, a sum linked to kickbacks associated with Godwin Emefiele, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
On Tuesday, Justice Ayokunle Faji granted the order for the funds to be handed over to the Nigerian government. This decision came after an application from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The funds were held in a Titan Trust account, number 2000000500. The account saw significant deposits on several dates: $6,450,000 on November 9, 2021; $6,050,000 on November 15, 2021; $5,400,000 on December 16, 2021; $652,000 on December 23, 2021; $3,000,000 on January 31, 2022; and $5,000,000 on September 21, 2022.
Investigations revealed that the money was placed in interest-yielding accounts, laundered through a foreign account in Mauritius, and then transferred back to Nigeria under false pretenses.
Out of the total $26,555,000 received by Donatus Limited, $1,426,175.14 remained in the account. This balance, linked to the unlawful activities of Godwin Emefiele and his associates, is what the EFCC sought to reclaim for the Federal Government of Nigeria.
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