Court Orders Final Forfeiture of Ex-NAPL MD Properties in Lagos
Justice Chukujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, ordered the final forfeiture of five properties linked to a former Managing Director, Nigerian Army Properties Limited, NAPL, Major-General Umaru Mohammed.
The Judge gave the order following a motion on notice filed and argued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, through its lawyer, A.O. Mohammed.
The properties are: No.8b, Bedwell Road, Ikoyi; No.3, Force Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; No.14, Glover Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; No.6, Marina, Ikoyi, Lagos and No. 28, Point Road, Apapa, Lagos.
Investigation revealed that the properties were fraudulently misappropriated and the proceeds of the sale diverted for personal use.
The judge had, on March 4, 2024, ordered the interim forfeiture of the properties reasonably suspected to be proceeds of an unlawful activity and also directed the publication of the order in a national newspaper for any interested person to show cause why they should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Moving the application for the final forfeiture of the properties on Wednesday, Mohammed told the court that the Commission had complied with the order of the court regarding the publication.
He also submitted that “ it will be in the interest of justice for the court to grant the prayers being sought and also order the final forfeiture of the property to the Federal Government.”
The judge, after listening to the submissions of the EFCC’ s counsel, ordered the final forfeiture of the five properties to the Federal Government in favour of NAPL.
Road to forfeiture
Gen. Mohammed’s travails began in October 2023 when the Nigerian Army Special Court Martial him convicted him of stealing from the army. He was sentenced to seven years imprisonment and ordered to refund 2.17 million dollars and N1.06 billion being amount of monies he stole, back to the NAPL.
To reach that decision, the President of the court, Maj.-Gen. James Myam, said Gen. Mohammed was found guilty on 14 of the 18 count charges brought against him. He said the convicted General’ sentence was based on the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, and section 174 of the Armed Forces Act cap 20 Laws, 2004.
The sentences of the court martial are to run concurrently and are subject to the confirmation of the confirming authority.
According to Gen. Myam on count one which bordered on stealing, Gen. Mohammed was found guilty and will spend five years in prison and refund 1.04 million dollars back to NAPL.
The court also found the officer guilty on count two and sentenced him to five years imprisonment in addition to paying back the sum of $400,800 to NAPL.
On counts three, four, five and six, Gen. Mohammed was sentenced to five years imprisonment and to refund the sum of $85,400, $35,300, $55,000 and $46,500 respectively. He was however, discharged and acquitted on count charge 7, but bagged a seven-year sentence on sentenced him to seven years on count eight.
