Imo: Court Orders Forfeiture Of Properties Linked To Okorocha

A High Court in Owerri, the Imo State capital, has ordered the interim forfeiture of some properties linked to the immediate past governor of the state, Rochas Okorocha.

The properties are believed to have been “illegally acquired” by Okorocha during his 8-year tenure as Imo State governor.

THE WHISTLER reports that the development came amid the growing rift between Governor Uzodinma and Okorocha, who is currently representing Imo West senatorial district in the Senate.

Justice Fred Njemanze, in a ruling on Thursday, granted an ex parte application filed by Louis Alozie, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), seeking interim forfeiture of all properties allegedly acquired illegally by the former governor.

The suit with case No. HOW/191/2021 was filed against the Attorney-General of Imo State, with Mrs. Nkechi Okorocha, Incorporated Trustees of Rochas Foundation and Senator Rochas Okorocha as 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents, respectively.

Alozie said his application was pursuant to Section 472(1) of the Imo State Administration of Criminal Justice Law No. 2 of 2020.

The forfeited properties are: Eastern Palm University, Ogboko; Royal Spring Palm Hotels and Apartments ; IBC staff quarters illegally acquired for the purpose of Rochas Foundation College, Owerri; Margistrate Quarters, Orlu road/Cooperative Office/Girls Guide illegally converted to private use housing Market Square, Kilimanjaro eatery; public building plot B/2 Otamiri South Extension Layout given to the Ministry of Women Affairs for establishing a skills acquisition centre for women illegally acquired for the benefit of Nneoma Nkechi Okorocha’s All-In Stall, Aba road.

Others include Plot P5 Naze Residential Layout initially part of Primary School Management Board but now annexed to All-In Stall, Aba road belonging to Mrs. Nkechi Okorocha, and all the properties contained from pages 226 to 272 of the Government White Paper on the recommendation of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Land Administration in Imo state from June 2006 to May 2019.

Alozie said his application, among others, was based on the grounds that, “these public properties were converted to personal use by the 1st-3rd respondents and their cronies for which the applicants now intends to recover them in line with the White Paper by the Judicial Commission of Inquiry’s report.

Recall that the Imo State Government had recently sealed off the Royal Spring Palm Hotels and Apartment belonging to Okorocha’s wife.