The alleged N45.9 billion fraud preferred against a former Niger Delta militant leader, Mr. Government Ekpemupolo (a.k.a Tompolo) yesterday took a new twist when Justice Ibrahim Buba of a Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the forfeiture of multi-billion naira properties belonging to the former militant leader.
Specifically, the judge ordered the by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to take possession of the “concerned assets” pending when Tompolo would make himself available to answer charges against him and nine others.
The judge said if Tompolo failed to appear within three months of the order, the Federal Government may proceed to auction the assets and other properties. However, the order was sequel to the granting of an ex-parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) asking for an order attaching all known assets of Tompolo until he appears before the court to answer to the fraud charges preferred against him and others.
Tompolo has refused to appear in court over allegation of money laundering and stealing of about N34 billion belonging to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). Justice Buba in his ruling on the application held that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 empowers the court to seize properties of an accused who refused to face trial.
The court recalled that even though Tompolo refused to appear in court he briefed his lawyers and through them sought to vacate the order of his arrest. According to the court, properties to be forfeited include; a River Crew Change Boat named MUHA – 15, the property known as “Tompolo Dockyard”, by the end of Enerhen Road, Effurun, Warri and the property known as “Tompolo Yard”, at the end of Chevron Clinic Road, next to Next Oil, Edjeba, Warri.
Others are; the Diving School at Kurutie, at Escravos River, the property known as “Tompolo House” at Oporaza Town, opposite the Palace. Also attached is the Property at No. 1 Chief Agbamu Close DDPA Extension Warri (Effurun), Delta State and any other property discovered by the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission, moveable and immoveable, belonging to Tompolo. Justice Buba, however, refused to attach all the limited liability companies listed by the EFCC until their prove of ownership is revealed to the court.
The Limited liability companies are; Global West Vessel Specialist Limited, Odimiri Electrical Limited and Kime Engozu, Boloboere Property and Estate Limited, Rex Elem, Destre Consult limited, Gregory Mbonu and Captain Warredi Enisuoh respectively.
On resumption of yesterday’s proceedings, Keyamo had drew the attention of the court to a Motion Exparte dated February 18 praying the court for an order authorising EFCC to seize properties belonging to Tompolo.
Moving the motion brought pursuant to Sections 80 and 81 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, Keyamo prayed the court for an order of forfeiture of all properties belonging to Tompolo pending the time he would appear in court. Further hearing in the matter has been adjourned till March 22.
It would be recalled that the EFCC had earlier on filed a 40-counts criminal charge of unlawful conversion against Tompolo and a former boss of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Patrick Akpobolokemi. They were alleged to have converted the sums of $108.7 million and N2.1 billion, being the property of NIMASA and knowing that the said sum were proceeds of the fraud.
In another development, Saturday Telegraph gathered from impeccable sources that Tompolo is still very much in the country, despite the cloud of uncertainty which had trailed his whereabouts since he was declared wanted by the court. In fact, two sources who are Ijaw leaders, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Saturday Telegraph that there was no way Tompolo could have ran away from the country, since he is a law abiding citizen. “Tompolo is still around. He has not left the country.
Security agents are aware of the risk involved in confronting him because all his men are well armed. They are not likely to sell out because of his generosity,” one of the sources said. Speaking also, another source said: The reason why Tompolo refused to travel out of the country is because he felt it would be easier for the government to arrest him using the International Police (INTERPOL) connection.
However, Saturday Telegraph gathered that Tompolo, in veiled reference to the sources comments may have in the bid to beat security checks, resorted to shuttling in between his father’s village, Oporoze and that of his mother, Okenrenkoko, which are in Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.
Saturday Telegraph checks also revealed that there was no way Tompolo could make himself available to security operatives except for his “close and trusted allies”, hence the “water tight security”, around him. Meanwhile, the Iwere Peace Movement, a group made up of Ijaw Professionals and youths in the Niger Delta, has raised the alarm over alleged plans by the Federal Government to kill Tompolo, if he is arrested and detained.
They warned that the continued militarisation of the Niger Delta in the name of searching for the Ex-militant leader will plunge the region into another bloody war, appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to sustain the prevailing peace in the region by calling the EFCC and the military to order.
In a statement issued in Benin City yesterday and signed by Mr Merie Oritsejolomi and Johnbull Deghele Omadeli, the group said: “We see the EFCC charges against Tompolo as a plot to arrest him and keep him in detention like the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mr Nnmadi Kanu and the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki and murder him in detention. “The Buhari government is in shadow chasing as it sees anyone that stand by the truth as an enemy of the government.
This action will not take this country to anywhere than destruction. The government has practically abandoned serious and weightier issues like creation of employment opportunities and rejuvenation of the economy in pursuance of perceived political enemies,” the statement said.
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