Court orders forfeiture of hotel, N230.3m, $4,977 others to govt

Abdullateef Fowewe

The Federal High Court, sitting in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, through Justice M.S. Abubakar, has ordered the forfeiture of over N232 million, a hotel, and $4,977 recovered from seven fraudsters to the Federal Government.

The fraudsters who were convicted and sentenced were prosecuted on separate one-count charges, bordering on criminal impersonation, money laundering, cybercrime and obtaining by false pretence.

This was made known in a statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday.

The statement said, “Justice M.S.Abubakar of the Federal High Court, sitting in Makurdi, Benue State has ordered the forfeiture to the federal government, the sum of  N232,396,714.00 (Two Hundred and Thirty-two Million, Three Hundred and Ninety-six Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fourteen Naira), a hotel as well as the sum of $4,977 (Four Thousand Nine Hundred and Seventy-seven US Dollars) recovered from seven fraudsters.

“The forfeiture followed the conviction and sentencing of the fraudsters, prosecuted on separate one-count charges, bordering on criminal impersonation, money laundering, cybercrime and obtaining by false pretence by the Makurdi Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

“The convicts are:  Tamaraudeinyefa Shedrack Brakekebebe, Godday Conference Brakekebebe, Terhemba Josiah Asagh, Nyiter Avalumun Elijah, Ahmed Alabi Akindele, Kennedy Torbem Ayanger and Hwande Aondooungwa James.”