ICPC: Ex-PPMC Boss Kicks Over Forfeiture Order On Property

The temporary forfeiture order of assets linked to the former Managing Director of the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC), Haruna Momoh seem not be settling well his lawyer as he alleged that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) misled the court into granting the order.

According to the lawyer, Ade Adedeji, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the ICPC is only seeking publicity.

Adedeji, who is representing Blaid group, the company owned by Ochuko, Momoh’s wife, whose assets are being linked to the husband, said the anti-graft agency failed to inform the federal capital territory (FCT) high court about a previous order granted by Binta Nyako, a judge of the federal high court, directing the commission to refrain from investigation and release assets belonging to the company and Momoh.

“ICPC had appealed the judgment through filing of notice of appeal. But rather than prosecute their appeal, they surreptitiously approached the FCT high court and misled the court as if the appeal never existed,” he said.

“And without disclosing to the new court that there was a judgment of the federal high court against them, they moved the court ex-parte to grant an order of temporary forfeiture.”

He described the move by the commission to obtain a forfeiture order as “an abuse of court process”, adding that it is a means to score cheap publicity to boost their image as “hard-working and crime busters”.

He said steps are being taken to vacate the order of temporary forfeiture: “We are also considering filing petitions against counsel involved in misrepresenting facts to court to obtain ex-parte order which ordinarily would not have been granted.”

Recall that a statement issued by the anti-graft agency spokesperson, Rasheedat Okoduwa on Monday maintained that investigations have shown that Momoh misused his office to enrich himself, using several companies including Blaid Property Limited and Blaid Construction Limited.

Adedeji held that Momoh did nothing wrong as his wife is being persecuted in an attempt to get to the husband.

Also, the lawyer said all the businesses under probe belong to the wife and the husband never had anything to do with them.