A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday gave an interim order of forfeiture for 10 properties belonging to the former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, to the Federal Government.
Yari is also one of the candidates for the National Chairman of the ruling All progressive Congress (APC)
The properties are located in the highbrow areas of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Kaduna and Zamfara States and Maryland in the United States of America.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu, who gave the order following an ex-parte motion moved by counsel for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Osuobeni Akponimisingha, held that after carefully reading through the ICPC’s motion, exhibits attached and other processes, he was inclined to grant the order.
Justice Egwuatu said that the court was empowered to grant the application going by the relevant sections of the law and the money laundering act.
According to the judge, granting the application will not deny anyone a fair hearing.
Also, he directed that this should be published in the Nation and Daily Trust Newspapers and that the interested party should file an application to show cause why the property should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
Justice Egwuatu thereafter adjourned the matter until April 28 to hear the motion for final forfeiture.
NAN