The Independent and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it has uncovered a hidden $919,000 by some corrupt officials of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The anti-corruption commission said it has secured interim forfeiture of the said sum.
In a statement, it said the money, approximately N450 million, was fraudulently hidden in a bank account.
“Investigators in the Rivers State office of the Commission traced the money that had been hidden in an interest yielding account by officials of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt since 2014,” the statement said.
“On discovery of the hidden money, the ICPC through its lawyer, Dr. Agada Akogwu filed an ex-parte motion for an interim order of forfeiture of the money.
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“In his ruling, Justice Mohammed Sani of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, granted the commission’s prayers for interim forfeiture of the said sum pending the final hearing on the matter,” it said.
According to the statement, the judge further ruled that the ‘’orders of the court directing the interim forfeiture shall be published in any daily newspaper within 14 working days for any person interested in the said property sought to be forfeited to appear before the court to show cause why the final forfeiture orders be not made in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria”.
The court adjourned to December 14 for hearing of the final forfeiture order.
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