Court Orders Final Forfeiture of N150m Linked to Rep Nicholas Mutu

Court Orders Final Forfeiture of N150m Linked to Rep Nicholas Mutu

The Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has ordered the final forfeiture of N150 million linked to a serving member of the House of Representatives, Nicholas Mutu, to the Federal Government.

Justice J.O. Abdulmalik gave the ruling after granting an application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ekele Iheanacho.

The application was brought under the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.

The court had earlier granted an interim forfeiture order and directed that the order be published in a national newspaper. Following the publication, no sufficient reason was presented to stop the funds from being permanently forfeited.

After considering the arguments and affidavits filed by counsel to Mutu and his company, Airworld Technologies Ltd, Justice Abdulmalik ruled that the EFCC had established its case and ordered the final forfeiture of the N150 million to the Federal Government.

According to the EFCC, investigations revealed that Mutu allegedly received kickbacks amounting to N400.16 million from an NDDC consultant, Starline Consultancy Services, while serving as Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The commission alleged that the funds were paid through the Heritage Bank accounts of companies linked to the lawmaker, including Airworld Technologies Ltd and Oyien Homes Ltd.

The anti-graft agency further stated that Mutu is the major shareholder in the companies, while the remaining shares are held by his wife and other close family members.

The EFCC said the consultant had approached the House committee to help recover debts owed to the NDDC by oil and gas companies operating in the Niger Delta. Following the committee’s intervention, more than N100 billion was reportedly recovered for the commission.

Investigators alleged that while the consultant received its legitimate fees, part of the funds was paid to companies linked to Mutu as kickbacks.

The commission also claimed that during its investigation, a subcontract agreement was allegedly created between the consultant and Airworld Technologies Ltd to justify the payments. However, the consultant reportedly admitted that the subcontract was only intended to conceal the alleged kickback and that no work was carried out by the company.

The EFCC further told the court that Mutu refunded N150 million during the investigation but later argued that the refund was not made voluntarily. He also maintained that the payments received by his companies were based on legitimate business transactions.

In his ruling, Justice Abdulmalik held that the N150 million constituted proceeds of unlawful activities and ordered that the money be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

Court Orders Final Forfeiture of N150m Linked to Rep Nicholas Mutu