Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has confirmed the forfeiture of $13 million to the Federal Government, funds connected to Lagos socialite Aisha Achimugu and her company, Oceangate Engineering Oil & Gas Ltd.
In a Wednesday ruling, Justice Nwite found that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had proven that the money was obtained through fraudulent and illegal activities.
The decision arose from a lawsuit filed by Oceangate Engineering Oil & Gas Ltd seeking to recover the $13 million. The court held that the company failed to provide evidence showing how the funds were legitimately acquired.
Justice Nwite rejected claims that the money represented gifts given to the company via Aisha Achimugu, noting that she did not appear in court to justify why the funds should not be forfeited. He also highlighted that none of the alleged donors of the $13 million were called to testify.
The court further ruled that Oceangate Engineering did not provide proof of any business activities or payments from clients that could account for receiving such a large sum. The judge concluded that the EFCC met all legal requirements to classify the money as proceeds of fraud, making the forfeiture to the Federal Government lawful.
