The Supreme Court has affirmed the final forfeiture of properties and $2.045m linked to Godwin Emefiele, former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to the federal government.
In a unanimous judgment delivered on Friday, the apex court overturned the decision of the court of appeal in Lagos, which had nullified the forfeiture order.
The court held that the Court of Appeal erred when it overturned the forfeiture order and directed that the matter be reheard by the trial court.
BACKGROUND
On November 1, 2024, Deinde Dipeolu, judge of a federal high court in Lagos, ordered the permanent forfeiture of monies (including $2.045 million), seven choice landed properties and the two share certificates of Queensdorf Global Fund Limited Trust belonging to Emefiele, to the federal government.
The assets were said to be reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.
The forfeited
