A Federal High Court in Kogi State has struck out an interim order of forfeiture obtained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, seeking to seize 14 properties linked to Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello
Justice Nicholas Oweibo struck out the suit on the ground that section 308 of the 1999 constitution prevents the institution of any criminal or civil case against a sitting Governor or the President, consequently the court struck out the suit for lack of jurisdiction.
Bello had earlier protested against the suit by the EFCC and implied that the interim forfeiture order was obtained by either suppression or misrepresentation of facts by the Commission.
The governor also said the Proceeds of Crime Act could not take effect in retrospect as the properties in dispute were acquired before he became Kogi State governor.
The judge had, on February 22, granted the temporary forfeiture order, following an ex parte motion filed by the anti-graft agency seeking to seize 14 properties located in Lagos, Abuja and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
