Court Orders Final Forfeiture of Lagos Businessman, Ademola Akinyemi’s Properties Over Alleged Fraud

Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court, Lagos on Thursday ordered final forfeiture of a property linked to a businessman, Ademola Louis Akinyemi, over alleged multimillion naira fraud, to the Nigeria Police Special Fraud Unit, PSFU,  Milverton Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The businessman’s property forfeited by the court is a 3-storey building of six units apartments and its appurtenance situated at No. 2, Etsoye Close, Off Shonibare Estate, Onigbongbo, Maryland, Ikeja, Lagos.

The judge also ordered the PSFU to indemnify the victims of the alleged fraud, from the proceeds of the said property.

Those identified as being allegedly defrauded by the businessman are Imeh Jimmy Ikpaisong and Kate Ichieko of the sum of N20,430,000 and N12,300,000 respectively.

Justice Bogoro made the above orders while granting final forfeiture application filed before the court in a suit marked FHC/L/CS/372/2023.

The application was pursuant to Section 6(6) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended); Section 321, 328, 537, 340, 338(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015; Section 4 of the Police Act, 2020; Section 17(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud; Section 8, 9 & 10 of the Proceed of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022, and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and under the court’s inherent jurisdiction.

PSFU through its lawyer, Mr. Justin Enang, a Chief Superintendent of Police, in the motion for final forfeiture order had asked the court for the following reliefs: “an order of the honourable court, for a final forfeiture of the landed property specified in schedule One (1) of this motion to the Nigeria Police Force, via the Commissioner of the Police, Police Special Fraud Unit, No. 13 Milverton Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

“An Equitable Order of the honourable court, directing the Commissioner of the Police, Police Special Fraud Unit, to first of all, indemnified the victims of the crime from the proceeds of the said property to wit; “Imeh Jimmy Ikpaisong ‘m’, in terms of Twenty Million, Four-Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira (N20,430,000.00) only and Kate Ichieko ‘f’, in terms of Twelve Million, Three-Hundred Thousand Naira (12,300,000.00) only. And for such other further(s) order as the court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.”

The motion was supported with affidavit of 18 paragraphs deposed to by one Inspector Patrick Oporom, investigator with Police Special Fraud Unit, Lagos.

Listed as Akinyemi’s co-respondents in the suit were: Temitope Abiodun Akinyemi; FARMCENTA Global Investment Limited; Centavestse Limited and Denvic Integrated Services Nig. Limited.

The Court had on October 28, 2024 granted an interim forfeiture of the property, and placed a lien on his accounts, to avoid dereliction of the ‘res’.

However, while the suit was pending and the interim forfeiture order lasted, the respondent did not file any counter to suit, neither was the interim forfeiture order was challenged.

Delivering judgment on the motion for the final forfeiture order, Justice Bogoro, after perusing the Court files held that the respondents did not file any response or counter to the suit.

The judge consequently granted all the reliefs sought by the Police as prayed.