The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
[EFCC], has arrested Esai Dangabar, one of the six persons accused of
allegedly defrauding the Police Pension Office.
His
arrest is based on a fresh charge of interfering with property which
the court had ordered forfeited to the federal government.
The forfeited properties include 13 residential buildings in different areas of Abuja, and a storage facility in Suleja, Niger state.
Mr Dangabar was also ordered to relinquish seven trucks, while 13 bank accounts linked to him were frozen.
Dangabar had earlier challenged the forfeiture of his property, but had his application dismissed for lack of relevant material. He approached the Court of Appeal, Abuja to challenge the order of the High Court to have his properties forfeited.
The Appeal court, in a unanimous ruling on July 24, 2012, dismissed his application.
In a ruling read by Justice Kolawole Bada, the Appeal Court resolved the three issues raised by Dangabar in favour of the EFCC, ruling that the interim forfeiture order pending the hearing of the criminal charge preferred against him is provided under the EFCC Act.
“The court, given that power, the exercise has not taken away the accused right to fair hearing”, the Appeal Court Judges reasoned.
Trial in the substantive case against Dangabar and five others is set for the 28th of January, 2012.
Dangabar and the others are being prosecuted by the EFCC on a 16 criminal charges bordering on conspiracy and criminal breach of trust for their role in defrauding the Police Pension Office to the tune of N32.8 billion.
His
arrest is based on a fresh charge of interfering with property which
the court had ordered forfeited to the federal government.The forfeited properties include 13 residential buildings in different areas of Abuja, and a storage facility in Suleja, Niger state.
Mr Dangabar was also ordered to relinquish seven trucks, while 13 bank accounts linked to him were frozen.
Dangabar had earlier challenged the forfeiture of his property, but had his application dismissed for lack of relevant material. He approached the Court of Appeal, Abuja to challenge the order of the High Court to have his properties forfeited.
The Appeal court, in a unanimous ruling on July 24, 2012, dismissed his application.
In a ruling read by Justice Kolawole Bada, the Appeal Court resolved the three issues raised by Dangabar in favour of the EFCC, ruling that the interim forfeiture order pending the hearing of the criminal charge preferred against him is provided under the EFCC Act.
“The court, given that power, the exercise has not taken away the accused right to fair hearing”, the Appeal Court Judges reasoned.
Trial in the substantive case against Dangabar and five others is set for the 28th of January, 2012.
Dangabar and the others are being prosecuted by the EFCC on a 16 criminal charges bordering on conspiracy and criminal breach of trust for their role in defrauding the Police Pension Office to the tune of N32.8 billion.
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