ICPC secures forfeiture of N209m asset by Budget Office staff

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) said it has secured final forfeiture of a N209million property by a staff of the Budget Office of the Federation, Mr. Henry Ilemona Oyibo.

Oyibo was alleged to have acquired Jerijo Plaza and Event Centre in Karu part of Nasarawa State far above his legitimate income.

A statement by spokesperson for the commission, Mrs. Rasheedat A. Okoduwa (mni), said Oyibo will still be prosecuted.

The statement said a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Nyanya, Abuja, presided over by Hon. Justice Muawiyah Baba Idris, granted ICPC a final forfeiture order on the property.

The statement said: “The property, a shopping mall, known as Jerijo Plaza and Event Centre, located at No. 6 Muham Street, Off Abacha Road, Karu, Nasarawa State, is believed to have been acquired by Mr. Henry Ilemona Oyibo with the proceeds of crime.

“Oyibo’s travails started when ICPC profiled him as a result of investigation into another matter. Further investigation revealed that he could not have acquired the property from his legitimate income.

“This necessitated an application for an order of interim forfeiture which was granted by the same court on the property on 17th October, 2018.

“The court then adjourned the matter to 5th November, 2018 for ‘’interested persons to show cause why the property should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria’’.

“Following a newspaper publication by ICPC, ‘interested persons’ including the respondent and his brother, Raymond Oyibo ‘showed cause’, but this was countered by the commission in an affidavit stating that the respondents had not shown ‘good cause’ for the court to vacate the interim forfeiture order, and the matter was again adjourned to 18th June, 2019.

“On the adjourned date, Justice Idris found no merit in the separate affidavits of the respondents and consequently ruled for a final forfeiture of the property to the Federal Government.

“Following the final forfeiture order by the court, the stage has been set for the prosecution of Mr. Oyibo.”

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