Posted by Yusuf Alli on
THE Crown Court in London will on Monday (today) decide whether or not the Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, should forfeit his £10million property in the United Kingdom to the Federal Government.
THE Crown Court in London will on Monday (today) decide whether or not the Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, should forfeit his £10million property in the United Kingdom to the Federal Government.
Findings by our correspondent showed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had, on Friday, applied to the court for an Interim Order of Forfeiture of the assets.
It was learnt that the EFCC had attached a list of the assets belonging to Alamieyeseigha to its application before the court.
A source said, 'The commission's application is a safeguard step to prevent Alamieyeseigha from a hasty disposal of the property. It is consistent with the common law tradition."
The source added that the EFCC sought for the order following security reports, which might not be unconnected with the disappearance of the governor's cousin, Chief Abel Ebifemowei, among others.
The governor's cousin was arrested, with two others, by the EFCC operatives on September 5 in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, but he has escaped from detention.
There were fears that Ebifemowei could have access to some of the governor's accounts.
The governor is said to own about 43 houses in London.
Although the chairman of the EFCC, Alhaji Nuhu Ribadu, did not give the exact number of the houses, he admitted on Saturday that Alamieyeseigha owned 'a couple of houses in London."
He, however, said the property were valued at about £10million.
He added, 'Those houses were not registered as the property of the government of Nigeria. They were never registered as diplomatic premises."
With the EFCC's application, the Crown Court is expected to decide on two issues affecting the governor.
The court had on Friday remanded Alamieyeseigha in prison until Tuesday when it will decide on the governor's application for bail.
The PUNCH, Monday October 03, 2005