The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday ordered the immediate release of two properties located in the United Kingdom belonging to Executive Vice Chairman of Aiteo Group, Benedict Peters.
The properties have been the subject of an Interim forfeiture order obtained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2016, allegedly in the course of its investigation of allegations of corruption against former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The court upheld Peters’ case that the properties wholly belonged to him; was unconnected to any activities of Mrs Alison-Madueke and were unlawfully as well as unjustifiably included in a list of properties the EFCC tried to seize.
Justice Binta Nyako found that a court of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) being competent and coordinate jurisdiction had, in a judgment in separate proceedings, made significant findings with respect to Peters’ means of livelihood.
The judge ruled that the same court had confirmed his legitimate acquisition of a number of London-based properties including the two properties at Flat 5, Parkview, 83-86 Prince Albert Road as well as Flat 58 Harley House, Marylebone Road, both in London and had declared that those assets were insusceptible to forfeiture under any circumstance.
Justice Nyako directed that in that event, those properties could not continue to be restrained by the order EFCC had obtained and directed that the properties be released to Peters immediately.
