The Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday ordered the temporary seizure of a 12-storey building belonging to the senator representing Delta North Senatorial District, Peter Nwaoboshi, over an alleged contract scam of N1.5bn.
The court ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to seize the house located at 27, Marine Road, Apapa from Nwaoboshi, a Peoples Democratic Party member. The order was made by Justice Abdulaziz Anka after entertaining an ex parte application brought before him on Monday by the anti-graft agency.
Joined with Nwaoboshi in the application were his two companies — Golden Touch Construction Project Limited, and Bilderberg Enterprises Limited.
According to Punch, the EFCC told the judge that Nwaoboshi, through his company, Bilderberg Enterprises Limited, got a N1.580bn contract to supply some construction equipment to the Delta State Direct Labour Agency sometime in 2010.
The anti-graft agency, however, claimed that Nwaoboshi’s company supplied second-hand equipment to the agency while he actually collected money to supply new equipment, thereby short-changing the agency.
The EFCC claimed that Nwaoboshi later used the proceeds of the alleged scam to bid for and purchase the 12-storeyed building, formerly known as Guinea House, for the sum of N805m in the name of his company, Golden Touch Construction Project Limited.
Arguing the ex parte application on Monday, the EFCC’s lawyer, George Chia-Yakua, said it was in the interest of justice to order the temporary seizure of the building pending the outcome of investigation and criminal trial of Nwaoboshi and his companies.
He said the seizure order being sought was compliant with Section 44(2)(k) of the constitution and sections 28 and 29 of the EFCC (Establishment) Act 2004.
After listening to the lawyer, the judge ordered the temporary forfeiture of Nwaoboshi’s building.
