The money was fraudulently kept in an interest yielding bank account.Union Bank has been ordered to pay the money into the Federal Government’s account
The sum of $919,202.07 (N348,379,453 at official exchange rate of N379) has been permanently forfeited to the Federal Government by the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt.
The money was fraudulently kept in an interest yielding bank account set up since 2014 by some staff of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had accused the Chief Registrar, the Deputy Registrar of the court, and the Station Road, Port-Harcourt Branch of Union Bank of Nigeria of conspiring to hide the loot.
The money was discovered after the ICPC received a petition against some officials of the court for alleged violation of ICPC Act 2000.
The anti-graft agency’s investigation team uncovered the hidden sum which was then temporarily forfeited to the government in November 2020 after an ex-parte motion was filed.
Justice Mohammed Sani has now ruled that the money be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government as no justification exists to oppose the motion.
Union Bank was asked to immediately pay the money into the Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account.
