A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Wednesday ordered the interim forfeiture of the sum of N7,646,700,000 allegedly kept in Sterling Bank Plc by former Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, told Justice Chuka Obiozor-led court via an ex parte application that the N7.6bn was part of the sum of $153,310,000 which Diezani allegedly siphoned from the coffers of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation sometime in 2014.
The Commission also alleged that the former Petroleum Minister stashed the money in three Nigerian banks.
However, the Federal Government had since February 2016, through an order granted by another judge, Justice Muslim Hassan also of the Federal High Court, taken possession of part of the money from the other banks.
The anti-graft agency told the court that the Federal Government had recovered N23.4bn, $5m and another N9.08bn out of the $153.3m.
It, therefore, prayed the court to order Sterling Bank to deliver up to the Federal Government the N7.6bn still in its custody.
Justice Obiozor granted the order and directed the commission to cause it to be published
The judge then adjourned till August 28, 2017 for Sterling Bank and any other interested party to appear before the court to know why the funds should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
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