BY Fredrick Nwabufo
Mohammed Yinusa, justice of the federal high court in Lagos has convicted four companies of Chimaroke Nnamani, former governor of Enugu state, and ordered their forfeiture to the federal government.
The four companies are Rainbownet Nigeria Limited, Cosmos FM, Capital City Automobile Nigeria Limited and Renaissance University Teaching Hospital.
The companies had on May 19, 2015 pleaded guilty to a 10-count amended charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly failing to comply with lawful inquiry made by the commission.
At Tuesday’s sitting, Kelvin Uzozie, counsel to the EFCC, prayed the court to make an order of final forfeiture of the companies based on their plea.
After reviewing the facts, Yinusa convicted the companies and made an order of final forfeiture of their assets to the federal government, citing provisions of the EFCC Establishment Act on Final Forfeiture.
Among the properties, located across the five states in the southeast geopolitical zone, are 22 duplex buildings in Ebeano Under Tunnel Estate now known as Fidelity Estate; Renaissance University Teaching Hospital; Cosmos 105.5 FM Digital Station (Ceuna Communications); and Capital City Automobile Limited, located at 12 Station Road ,GRA, Enugu.
Also forfeited to the federal government include properties of Hill Gate Investment – Plot No H12, H13, H14, H15, H21`, H116, H188, Plot 10, Plot H11, Plot H16, Plot H17, Plot H18, Plot 19, Plot H20, Plot H49, Plot H50, Plot H117, CP/4 (HCR2), CP5 (HCR2) CP/6(HCR2) CP/7 (HCR2) CP/8.
The assets also include several undeveloped properties and plots of land of Rainbownet Nigeria Limited in Enugu, Abakaliki, Aba, Owerri, Onitsha, Awka and Umuahia.
Properties of Rainbownet Communication, which include BTS, Microwave Avenue Radio, Rectifiere, and a host of the equipment in various sites in Anambra state, are also to be forfeited to the federal government, as well as landed properties, over N35 million from the frozen bank accounts of the companies.
Uzozie, who was pleased with the ruling of the court, said the commission sought for a separate trial of the companies as the first accused person, Nnamani, had stalled proceedings on the matter on account of frequent application to travel abroad for medical treatment on grounds of ill-health.
Nnamani alongside Sunday Anyaogu, who was his aide, and six firms linked to them – Rainbownet Nigeria Limited, Hillgate Nigeria Limited, Cosmos FM, Capital City Automobile Nigeria Limited, Renaissance University Teaching Hospital and Mea Mater Elizabeth High School – were first arraigned before Justice Tijani Abubakar in 2007.
The case was re-assigned to Justice Charles Archibong following the transfer of Justice Abubakar, now of the appeal court, out of the Lagos division of the federal high court.
Again, the case was re-assigned to Justice Yinusa, after Justice Archibong (now retired) was also transferred out of the Lagos division of the court.
According to the charge, Nnamani conspired with other accused persons to launder funds from the state treasury, especially monies meant for the local government areas of Enugu state.
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