BY PRINCELY ONYENWE, IMO
Justice Fred Njemanze of an Owerri High Court sitting as a vacation Judge has ordered the final and absolutely forfeiture of royal palm springs and all properties contained in pages 226 to 272 of the Imo state Government white paper on recovery of lands and properties belonging to Imo state.
In his ruling, the judge held that Senator Rochas failed to give concrete and verifiable reasons why a final and absolute forfeiture order should not be given in favour of Imo state.
Recall that Senator Rochas Okorocha filed a preliminary injunction to stop the final forfeiture citing forceful eviction and that the suit by the Imo State Government was not properly instituted.
However, Justice Njemanze held that the suit filed by Imo state Government was not only properly filled but was also a surplusage, as the white paper gazette by the Imo State Government is a legal binding document.
Justice Njemanze concluded that there is no reason before it why the forfeiture should not be made absolute and final, To this end every property on pages 226 to 272 of the white paper has been forfeited to the Imo state government and they can do with it whatever they deem fit.
As for those who had made purchases on such properties the court said they are at liberty to approach the court to prove their titles, however, the properties as of today have been returned to the Imo State Government
Justice Fred Nkemanze had on the 26th of February 2021 given an interim order of forfeiture urging Senator Okorocha to approach the court to showcase as to why a final and absolutely order of forfeiture should not be given over the properties following an application brought by Mr Louis Alozie, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, on behalf of the state government.
The properties to be forfeited include:
“Eastern Palm University, Ogboko;
Royal Spring Palm Hotels and Apartments;
IBC staff quarters said to have been illegally acquired for the purpose of Rochas Foundation College,
Owerri magistrate quarters,
Orlu road/cooperative office/Girls Guide allegedly converted to private use housing market square,
Kilimanjaro eatery;
public building plot B/2 Otamiri South Extension Layout given to the ministry of women affairs for establishing a skills acquisition centre for women, allegedly acquired for the benefit of Nneoma Nkechi Okorocha’s all-in stall, Aba road”.
Plot P5, Naze residential layout, initially part of primary school management board but now annexed to All-In Stall, Aba Road, belonging to Nkechi Okorocha.
However, all the properties contained from pages 226 to 272 of the government white paper on the recommendation of the judicial commission of inquiry into land administration in Imo state from June 2006 to May 2019 are wholly forfeited.
It is indeed a troubling situation in the ROCHAS camp AS COURT ORDERS FINAL FORFEITURE OF ALL PROPERTIES GAZETTE IN IMO STATE WHITE PAPER.
9News Nigeria (Owerri)
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