A Federal High court in Abuja will on
Wednesday 29 August begin hearing to determine the ownership of $15
million alleged bribe money, in a suit filed by the federal government.
At
the core of the battle to identify the owner of the money are the
federal government, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),
and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) against the Delta state
government.
The money is alleged to have been offered as bribe by former Delta state governor, James Ibori to the former chairman of EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu to compromise an investigation.
The $15million lodged with the CBN is now being claimed and counter claimed by the federal government and Delta state government.
While the federal government is laying claim to the money that has being kept in CBN’s custody since 2007 on the ground that Mr Ibori denied ownership of the money, the incumbent Delta state government however is asking the court to declare it the bonafide owner of the money, having been allegedly offered by the former governor while in office.
The Delta State government in an affidavit deposed to by one Nkiru Bridget Emakpor, a legal officer in the Ministry of Justice averred that Mr Ibori was the governor of the state from May 29, 1999 to May 29, 2007, the period the money in dispute was allegedly offered to Mr Ribadu.
On that basis, the state said that the $15 million was the exclusive property of the state and is entitled to collect it as the bona fide owner.
At the resumed hearing of the matter on Monday, the trio plaintiffs-the federal government, EFCC and CBN-who jointly instituted the suit, did not appear in court on the ground that they were not served with hearing notice.
The Delta state government, represented by the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Charles Ajuya applied for an adjournment to enable fresh hearing notice served on the applicants in the suit.
Consequently, the trial judge, Justice Gladys Olotu sitting as vacation judge adjourned the case till Wednesday, 29 August and ordered that all the parties in the suit must be served with a hearing notice.
The Delta state government is claiming the ownership of the alleged $15 million following a court order that anybody or group interested in the money should indicate before it would be forfeited to the federal government.
At
the core of the battle to identify the owner of the money are the
federal government, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),
and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) against the Delta state
government.The money is alleged to have been offered as bribe by former Delta state governor, James Ibori to the former chairman of EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu to compromise an investigation.
The $15million lodged with the CBN is now being claimed and counter claimed by the federal government and Delta state government.
While the federal government is laying claim to the money that has being kept in CBN’s custody since 2007 on the ground that Mr Ibori denied ownership of the money, the incumbent Delta state government however is asking the court to declare it the bonafide owner of the money, having been allegedly offered by the former governor while in office.
The Delta State government in an affidavit deposed to by one Nkiru Bridget Emakpor, a legal officer in the Ministry of Justice averred that Mr Ibori was the governor of the state from May 29, 1999 to May 29, 2007, the period the money in dispute was allegedly offered to Mr Ribadu.
On that basis, the state said that the $15 million was the exclusive property of the state and is entitled to collect it as the bona fide owner.
At the resumed hearing of the matter on Monday, the trio plaintiffs-the federal government, EFCC and CBN-who jointly instituted the suit, did not appear in court on the ground that they were not served with hearing notice.
The Delta state government, represented by the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Charles Ajuya applied for an adjournment to enable fresh hearing notice served on the applicants in the suit.
Consequently, the trial judge, Justice Gladys Olotu sitting as vacation judge adjourned the case till Wednesday, 29 August and ordered that all the parties in the suit must be served with a hearing notice.
The Delta state government is claiming the ownership of the alleged $15 million following a court order that anybody or group interested in the money should indicate before it would be forfeited to the federal government.
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