Court orders naval officers to forfeit Lekki properties to FG

FILE: Director-General, NIMASA, Patrick
Akpolobokemi; Executive Director, Maritime Safety and Shipping Development, Capt Bala Agaba and Commander Maritime Guard Command, Commodore Ebony Aneke who is one of the two naval officers to forfeit properties to FG

A federal high court in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria on Wednesday ordered temporary forfeiture to the Federal Republic of Nigeria two properties belonging to two naval officers Captain Olotu Olumuyiwa Morakinyo and Captain Ebony Emmanuel Aneke suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.

Also to be temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria is the sum of N11,040,000 found in account of a limited liability company Lakewood Garden Ventures Limited suspected to be a proceed of unlawful activity.

The order of the court was sequel to an affidavit sworn to by an operative of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Idris Adamu in support of application filed before the court by EFCC legal officer Mr Rotimi Oyedepo and argued before the court by Barrister Idris Abdullahi Mohammed.

Idris Adamu averred that the anti-graft agency received intelligence report for the case of conspiracy, stealing and money laundering against the two naval officers Captain Olotu Olumuyiwa Morakinyo and Captain Ebony Emmanuel Aneke who were posted to Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA as Maritime Guard Commander from September 2011 to September 2015.

Lakewood Garden Ventures is a Company jointly owned by Captain Ebony Emmanuel Aneke and his sister Jimmie Aneke.

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The committee of Anti-Piracy Logistics account was opened and maintain by the Maritime Guard Command of NIMASA.

Captain Olotu Olumuyiwa Morakinyo received monies from the people listed below: Yahaya Kanawa -N3,800,000; Maigai Intergrated Limited N4,650,000; Capital Providers Limited -N8,000,000; Crescent Pillars Investment Limited N18,000,000.

While he converted the sum of N6,500,000 meant for the construction of a Communication Centre for Maritime Guard Command, all these monies totalling N40,950,000 property of NIMASA were received through his personal account domicile at Access Bank Plc.

Mr Adamu averred further that Captain Morakinyo used the proceeds of the crime highlighted above to acquire a three bedroom Terrace Duplex located at Lekki Gardens Limited Phase 4 Ajah -Lekki, while he also used the account of his wife Rhoda Olotu to launder part of the monies used in buying the property.

Captain Ebony Emmanuel Aneke was also alleged to have at various times received monies from Crescent Pillars Investment Limited totalling N55,905,100 and through his Access bank account and another N30milion from Seabulk Offshore Limited through his Diamond Bank account.

Captain Aneke was alleged to have used the proceeds of the fraud to acquire 5-bedroom Duplex in Lekki Lagos.

Various witnesses who were privy to the transactions were invited and made voluntary statements to the EFCC. Captain Aneke’s sister Jumie Aneke refunded to the Commission the total sum of N11,040,000.

Barrister Idris urged the court in the interest of justice to grant temporary order of the court forfeiting the property and the monies to the Federal Government.

In his ruling the presiding judge, Muslim Hassan while granting the order of interim forfeiture, ordered the anti-graft agency to publish the order of the court in any national daily for the respondents or anyone who is interested in the properties sought to be forfeited to appear before the court to show cause within 14 days why the final forfeiture of the properties should not be made in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The case was adjourned till 16th of April, 2018.