Federal High Court vacates forfeiture order on Okorocha’s properties
The EFCC had early this month obtained the court’s orders for the interim forfeiture of assets traced to the former governor, his wife, Nneoma Nkechi and their daughter.
The properties are a multimillion naira estate, hotel, two schools, shopping plaza, supermarket, hospital, and four vehicles.
The commission in an earlier statement said it would like to know how Rochas Foundation and “other accomplices” acquired and or converted some of the property for personal use.
It alleged that a prima facie cases had been established against the suspects, which they would answer to.
Vacating the order, the presiding Judge, Kolawole Omotoso, lifted the forfeiture order on some of the properties, especially the schools to enable students to resume for the new academic year.
According to The Nation, the court, however, made another order restraining the respondents (Okorocha and family members) from selling any of the properties pending the conclusion of the investigation by EFCC.
The development followed the submission by Okorocha’s lawyer, Okey Amaechi, that the forfeiture order displayed on the school gates would negatively affect resumption of academic activities in the new session, insisting that parents would be discouraged to register their children and wards in the schools.