Ex-Convict Alamieyeseigha’s Loot: Bayelsa Discontinues Suit Against EFCC - LEADERSHIP Newspaper

The Bayelsa State government has discontinued its lawsuit against the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC)  and its Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, before a federal high Court in Abuja.  A lawyer, Anthony Agbonlahor, had filed the suit on behalf of the Bayelsa State government had urged the court to make certain pronouncement on the funds recovered from the former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

The lawyer had asked the court to hold that the failure of the EFCC to remit the complete funds recovered from Alamieyesiegha after he was investigated and prosecuted and “subsequently trading with the funds by way of funds placement/fixed deposits  was an act of corruption and an economic crime contrary to sections 6 and 7 of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004. and to repay the monies with the interest. But in its reaction to the suit, Bayelsa State government placed several public service announcements to distance itself from the action and urged the general public to disregard the lawsuit as same was not authorized by the state government.

By a notice of discontinuance dated March 20 , 2014, Bayelsa State through its attorney-general and Commissioner for Justice, Chief F.F. Egele,  gave notice of discontinuance of the suit Number FHC/ABJ/CS/157/14 against the EFCC and Lamorde.

When contacted, the Chief of Staff to the EFCC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Oladele, stated that the commission had been served with the notice of discontinuance.  He said, “ This finally puts an end to the litigation” which he considered as having no basis in law and facts.

On the propriety of the status  to the property of a person convicted of an offence of under the EFCC Act, Oladele stated that Section 20 of the Act make it clear that  a person convicted under the Act shall forfeit to the Federal Government,  all the assets and properties which  are the subject of an interim order of the Court after an attachment by the Commission as specified in section 26 of the Act.

“For the avoidance of doubt all the properties of a person convicted of an offence under the EFCC Act and shown to be derived or acquired from such illegal act and already the subject of an interim order shall be forfeited to the Federal Government upon conviction”; Oladele added.