Forfeiture Order: Okorocha’s Lawyer Says Action Constitutes Political Witch-hunt

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

One of the lawyers to Senator Rochas Okorocha, Okey Anyikwa, has said the interim forfeiture order obtained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on one of the former governor’s property constituted a political witch-hunt.

Anyikwa maintained that the said property was acquired in 2007 before Okorocha became governor in 2011.
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, gave EFCC the nod to seize a property in Abuja that belongs to the former governor.

The anti-graft agency said its investigation revealed that sometime in 2018, Abtisal Global Ltd and Archivisual Solution Ltd, companies in which Okorocha is believed to have interest, received N222 million from the Imo state government treasury to develop and improve on the said property.

EFCC told the court that it reasonably suspected that the property was part of proceeds of unlawful activities of the erstwhile governor.
But reacting to the court order, Anyikwa, explained that the property was acquired in 2007 by Etha Venture, a company with limited liability.

He argued that the plot by the EFCC to seize a property worth over N15 billion because of N220 million claimed to have been taken from Imo state treasury to renovate the building was ridiculous.

“We learnt that the EFCC went to confiscate a property belonging to Okorocha after they got an interim forfeiture order.

“Our investigation showed that the property was acquired by a company, Etcha Venture, a limited liability company in 2007, so it cannot be said that the property belongs to Okorocha entirely,” he said.

According to him, although the EFCC is claiming that N220 million was used to renovate the building, the property was put to use as a hotel that has been funding the Rochas Foundation Colleges for over 20 years.

“In as much as the matter is subjudice, common logic shows that it is nothing but political vendetta against the person of Okorocha,” he noted.