Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling, said he had found that the application for forfeiture filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was not brought in good faith and ought to be struck out.
The judge also disagreed with the EFCC that since the Ekweremadus had failed to filed application to show cause, the court should go ahead with the order for final forfeiture of the assets. “At the same time, the respondent filed ex-parte application for interim forfeiture which upon order being made thereon required Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife to show cause in Nigeria why an order for final forfeiture ought not to be made.
“This in my opinion, is an unconscionable act. The act of the respondent clearly shows that this action was brought in bad faith.According to him, on the whole, I find that the application for forfeiture, going by the facts of this case has not been brought in good faith and ought to be struck out. “An order is hereby made setting aside the interim forfeiture order of the properties of Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his companies made by this court on 4th day of November, 2022, upon the ex-parte Originating Motion filed by the Economic and Finance Crimes Commission on 27 July, 2022.The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Justice Ekwo had, on Nov.
NAN reports that Ekweremadu’s oldest child, Lloyd; Anambra government and a company, Uni-medical Healthcare Limited had, on Dec. 5, appeared in court as parties interested in the seized property.