The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has rejected an application filed by the former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha asking it to restrain the Imo State Government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from confiscating his properties.
Okorocha is asking the court to issue an interim order to the EFCC and the Imo State Government not to carry on with their action.
At the hearing of the application on Wednesday, Okorocha’s counsel Mr Oba Maduabuchi (SAN), told the court presided over by Justice Ahmed Mohammed that the properties of his client were being marked for confiscation and demolition.
The application, however, could not be heard following a motion by the counsels to the Imo government and the EFCC challenging the jurisdiction of the court to sit on the matter during the vacation period.
In separate submissions, the defence counsel described the application by Okorocha as an abuse of judicial processes and cannot subsist in view of the motion already filed challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter during the vacation period.
They argued that once an issue of jurisdiction is raised in any suit, it must be determined and resolved first before the court can take further steps.
In a ruling, Justice Ahmed Mohammed refused to grant Okorocha’s application on the ground that he would first have to hear the motion challenging his jurisdiction to sit on the matter during vacation.
He subsequently adjourned the matter to August 24 to determine whether he has jurisdiction to sit over the case.
A State High Court in Owerri had earlier (on Monday) ordered the final and absolute forfeiture of Royal Palm Springs Hotel and other properties said to belong to Senator Okorocha and other members of his family.
