A panel of justices of the Court of Appeal, Lagos, on Friday, dismissed an appeal filed by the former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke, challenging the forfeiture of her $40 million worth of jewelry to the Federal Government.
The appellate court in the judgment held that there was no substance in Alison-Madueke’s appeal seeking to overturn the trial court’s order.
The Court of Appeal affirmed the 2019 judgment of Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court, Lagos, which forfeited the jewelry following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The judgement of the Court of Appeal was sequel to an appeal filed by Alison-Madueke marked as Appeal No CA/L/1263/19 between Diezeni Alison-Madueke against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The trial judge, Justice Nicholas Oweibo, had during the lower court trial ordered the seizure following an application by the EFCC.
The schedule attached to the application listed jewellery categorised into 33 sets with a breakdown as follows: “419 expensive bangles; 315 expensive rings; 304 expensive earrings; 267 expensive necklaces; 189 expensive wristwatches.
“174 expensive necklaces and earrings; 78 expensive bracelets; 77 expensive brooches; and 74 expensive pendants.”
The items were seized from Dezani’s residence, at No. 10 Fredrick Chiluba Close, Asokoro, Abuja.
Before the forfeiture, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo told the court that the assets were acquired with the proceeds of unlawful activities.
A detective with the commission, Rufai Zaki, in an affidavit, maintained that the jewellery were beyond Diezani’s “known and provable lawful income.”
Prof Awa Kalu, SAN, in the appeal argued that the EFCC violated Alison-Madike’s “fundamental right to own property and to appropriate them at her discretion,”.
In an affidavit, Kalu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), buttressed his argument with sections 43 and 44 of the constitution.
