The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Thursday, December 7, 2017, at the Court of Appeal, Enugu secured a landmark judgment when the appellate court dismissed the appeal by former Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Innocent Umezulike challenging the interim forfeiture of the N50 Million in his Zenith Bank account.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Thursday, December 7, 2017, at the Court of Appeal, Enugu secured a landmark judgment when the appellate court dismissed the appeal by former Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Innocent Umezulike challenging the interim forfeiture of the N50 Million in his Zenith Bank account.
The judgment read by Justice Ogunwumiju upheld the decision of the lower court to order the temporary forfeiture of the money.
Umezulike had appealed the order given by Justice A.M. Liman of the Federal High Court, Enugu in March 2017 following EFCC's application seeking the freezing, seizure and forfeiture of properties linked to him. The Commission claimed there was reasonable suspicion that the money was part of an alleged donation in which the former Chief Judge received from a litigant in his court.
The former Chief Judge was arraigned on July 14, 2017, on a one-count charge of the use of office to confer the corrupt and unfair advantage upon himself contrary to Section 19 of the Independent and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offence Act (Laws of the Federation) 2000 .
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media, and Publicity
8 December, 2017
