A socio-political, socio-cultural group of Southeast extraction, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, urged the Federal High Court on Saturday, to allow Sen. Ike Ekweremadu to defend his ownership of 40 landed properties ordered for interim forfeiture.
The charge was by Ohanaeze in a statement issued by Mr Alex Ogbonna, its National Publicity Secretary.
Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court ordered an interim forfeiture of 40 landed properties linked to the former Deputy Senate President on Friday in Abuja.
According the reports, the landed properties are 15 in Abuja, 10 in Enugu (Ekweremadu’s home state), one in Lagos, two in the United Kingdom, three in the United States, and nine in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
An ex-parte motion was filed and moved by counsel to the EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Buba, following the court’s order.
Ogbonna said that Ekweremadu, who is currently standing trial in the UK over alleged organ trafficking should be given an opportunity to defend himself and be made to face the wrath of the law if found guilty.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo stands on a moral probity to state that a hasty ex-parte motion, filed by the EFCC on a man who is undergoing some travails in the UK, falls short of ethical standards and natural justice.
We maintain that Sen. Ekweremadu should be given the opportunity to defend himself on his properties; and if found wanting, should surely face the consequences.
We are aware that there are several allegations of corruption cases pending in the EFCC, but the urgency and selective judgment in the case of Ekweremadu is curious.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo calls on all Nigerian legal luminaries of goodwill to intervene, Ogbonna stated.