A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the final forfeiture to the Federal Government of the sum of N235.4 million traced to the account of Okeke Obinwanne CEO of Invictus Group.
Mr Okeke popularly called Invictus Obi in Nigeria was arrested in August 2019 in the United States of America and charged with two counts of computer fraud and wire fraud. He pleaded guilty.
Justice Mohammed Liman of a Federal High Court in Lagos had on March 23 ordered the interim forfeiture of the money domiciled in First City Monument Bank, following an ex parte application dated December 18, 2019, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC).
In granting the interim forfeiture order, the judge had also ordered the commission to advertise same in any national newspaper for anyone to show cause why the said money should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Following the publication of the order in a national newspaper, the commission, on June 2, 2020, filed a motion on notice seeking the final forfeiture of the money to the Federal Government.
During proceedings on November 12, 2020, EFCC counsel I. Sulaiman urged the court to grant his prayers for the final forfeiture of the money, which is reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
Justice Liman granted the applicant’s prayers and also ordered the final forfeiture of the money to the Federal Government.
