By Ibraheem Solaudeen.
The Kwara State High Court in Ilorin, today, ordered the final forfeiture of “Asmau Plaza” reportedly belonging to Rasaq Momonu, the Controller, Finance and Account, Kwara State Government House.
The property which is located at University Road, Tanke Area, Ilorin, and valued at about N150million, was said to be proceeds of crime.
The Ilorin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), through its counsel, Nnaemeka Omewa had earlier filed an application on July 19, praying the court to grant final forfeiture of the plaza in consonance with Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences.
Delivering the ruling today, Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of the Kwara State High Court, granted the application and resolved all the issues raised in favour of the EFCC, noting that the EFCC fulfilled all the necessary requirements.
She said: “I have gone through the application brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, I also sighted the hearing notice issued to the respondent in the suit, Rasaq Momonu. This Honourable Court is persuaded that he had been served with the Court Processes.
“The application brought by the EFCC is meritorious and granted; this Honourable Court hereby orders the final forfeiture of the landed property known as Asmau Plaza, Tanke Road, Ilorin, Kwara State to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
Rasaq Momonu, whose salary was said to be less than N100,000 monthly, is also facing money laundering charges before Justice Babangana Ashigar of the Federal High Court, Ilorin, and is expected back in court on September 25, 2019.
Momonu is accused of using his influence as Accountant with Kwara State Government to award and inflate contracts for the construction of two classrooms at Ogbondoroko and Obanisuwa Community in Kwara State.