A Federal High Court, Lagos, has ordered that 13 landed properties and others belonging to a suspected fraudster, Haruna Isah, should be temporarily forfeited to the Federal government of Nigeria.

The court made the order while granting a motion ex-parte brought before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The EFCC in the ex-parte application marked FHC/L/CS/1264/17, filed before the court by EFCC lawyer, G. C. Akaogu, stated that the 11 landed properties, 80 KVA Mikano generator, and three exotic cars, scattered across Lagos and Ogun States, were purchased with the proceeds of fraud.

Other respondents in the suit who are immediate relations of the fraud suspect are: Asimawu H. Isah; Johnson A. Isaac and Damilola Taiba Isah.

The suspected fraudster’s properties ordered to be temporary forfeited to the government are: undeveloped land measuring 634.130sqm located at Niyi Ogunbameru Street, Ajao Estate: a Shopping Plaza, located on Shasha road, Akowonjo; undeveloped land measuring 407.062sqm, located at 38, Adeniyi Akibu Street, Jankara, Ijaiye-Ojokoro; a complete building located at 49, Segun Akinola Street, Mile 16, Lagos-Abeokuta Express road, Abule-Egba; another completed building located at 46, Yetunde Kuforiji Street, Megida Village, Alimosho LGA; and undeveloped land measuring 288.068 sqm, located at Itele-Ota, Ogun State.

Others include: Harsmont Hotel Limited, at 14, Adeyemo Close, Mafoluku-Oshodi; Twin Duplex at 9, Philomena Street, off Murtune Avenue, River Valley Estate, Dopemu; one bungalow at 4, Olushola Prestige close, off Kilanko street, Abule-Egba; one Duplex at 5_ Titilayo Balogun close, Ajao Estate, an uncompleted building and land located at 724, Moshalashi-Alagbado; and uncompleted building and land located at 724, Bola Ahmed Tinubu Road, Ijaiye-Ojokoro.

Others include: SP 80kva Mikano generator; Toyota Tacoma marked BDG 938 EE; Toyota Landcruiser with registration number FST 909 EG, and Toyota Rav 4 with registration number FST 186 EG.

The suspected Fraudster, Haruna Isah alongside three others namely; Adeyemi Oluwaseun, Sulaiman Yusuf Obhakume, who are staff of First Marina Trust Limited, and one Yusuf Imran Adekunle, are currently standing trial before Justice Ogunsanya of an Ikeja High Court of Lagos State, on two count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing of the sum of $500,000 USD.

The EFCC in an affidavit sworn to by Afanda Emmanuel, an investigator with the anti-graft agency, stated that the ex-parte application was sequel to a petition received from First Marina Trust Limited, where it was alleged that two of its employees, Oluwaseun Adeyemi and Sulaiman Yusuf Obhakume conspired to defraud it of over $500, 000.

The deponent also stated that the suspected fraudster, Haruna Isah, was arrested upon confession of the two suspects that they defrauded their employer of N500,000, and also confessed that part of the money was given to the suspected fraudster, Isah.

The deponent also stated that Sulaiman who masterminded the crime at First Marina Trust Limited, in a bid to cover his crime, was introduced to Haruna by his colleague, Oluwaseun, as an Alfa (Islamic Cleric), to assist him for money ritual, and to pray for him with the use of ‘juju’, so that will make his (Sulaiman) employer not to detect the fraud.

EFCC’s investigator further stated that when Sulaiman met with Haruna, the latter told him to bring various sums of money, whereby Sulaiman first gave him N240, 000, as deposit. Adding that thereafter, Haruna demanded for $540, 000, in two tranches of $250, 000, and $290, 000, respectively, for money rituals, which Sulaiman stole from his employers.

The deponent also averred that Sulaiman gave Haruna another $450, 000 British Pound Sterling, for another money ritual.

From the investigation, it was clear that Haruna Isah used the proceeds of the crime to acquire all the properties sought to be temporarily forfeited.

Consequently, EFCC lawyer, Akaogu, urged the court to temporarily order the forfeiture of the suspect’s properties, pending the determination of the criminal case against him and others at Ikeja High Court of Lagos State.

Upon listening to the submission of Akaogu, the presiding judge, Justice Anka, ordered that all the properties listed above, belonging to the suspected fraudster, Haruna Isah, be temporarily forfeited to the Federal government of Nigeria, pending the outcome of the criminal charge against him and others at an Ikeja High Court of Lagos state.