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JUST IN: Court orders interim forfeiture of Rochas Okorocha’s properties
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By Nwafor Sunday
Barely four days after the Imo state police command arrested and released the senator representing Imo West constituency, for breaking into a government sealed ‘Royal palm spring estate’, High Court in Owerri on Thursday ordered an interim forfeiture of all properties allegedly ‘acquired illegally’ by Rochas Okorocha, while he was in office.
Justice Fred Njemanze gave the order following an application brought by Louis Alozie, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, on behalf of the state government.
The properties to be forfeited include:
Rochas Okorocha
An Imo State High Court has ordered the interim forfeiture of all the properties allegedly acquired through “illegal means” by a former governor of the state, Senator Rochas Okorocha.
Justice Fred Njemanze gave the order following an ex parte application filed by Mr. Louis Alozie (SAN).
In the main substantive suit marked HOW/191/2021, the Attorney-General of Imo State had sued Okorocha, his wife, Nkechi, and Incorporated Trustees of Rochas Foundation.
In a motion ex parte brought pursuant to Section 472(1) of the Imo State Administration of Criminal Justice Law No. 2 of 2020, Alozie prayed the court for an order of forfeiture on the grounds that the properties, which he said were for the public, “were converted to personal use by the first to third respondents (Okorocha, his wife, and the foundation) and their cronies for which the applicants now intends to recover them in line with the white paper by the judicial commission of inquiry’s report”.
By Chinonso Alozie, Owerri
There has been disquiet in the camp of Senator Rocahas Okorocha, representing Imo West Senatorial district, following the interim order from Owerri High court which ordered for the forfeiture of the “illegally acquired” properties by Okorocha in Imo while he was governor for eight years.
Vanguard investigation yesterday in Owerri, revealed that some loyalists to Okorocha, until the court order saw the properties as an exclusive relaxation points for them and however described it as “disturbance.”
One of them, who would not want his name mentioned, said: “The court order on the properties will affect us especially the Royal spring palm estate where we normally come to relax is an issue but we know our leader, Okorocha, knows what to do. He will appeal against the interim court order. No shaking we will overcome it.”
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