Ex FCT Minister Bala Mohammed & Son to temporarily forfeit 10 properties to FG

Former FCT minister, Bala Mohammed and his son
Shamsudeen have been ordered to temporarily forfeit 10
properties to the Federal Government, PUNCH reports.
The orders were given by two Abuja Federal High Court
judges, Justice Okon Abang and Justice Gabriel Kolawole.
The courts also barred the suspects from selling
anything found in the properties, including luxury cars,
jewellery and other valuables.
The seizure of some of the properties traced to the ex-
minister was pursuant to an interim forfeiture order by
Justice Abang.
Justice Abang ordered the temporary forfeiture of the
properties “to the Federal Government pending the
conclusion of investigation and determination of
criminal charges against the suspects.”
“The court also gives the commission power to appoint
competent persons/firm to manage the assets/
properties listed,” Abang added.
The remaining properties were confiscated on the
strength of the order by Justice Kolawole, which ordered
that the assets be “forfeited to the Federal Government
pending the conclusion of investigation and
determination of the criminal charges against the
suspects.”
“The court also forbids any disposal, conveyance,
mortgage, lease, sale or alienation or otherwise of the
property/assets,” Kolawole said.
According to PUNCH, the properties include three plots
of land with development at various stages of
completion at No 54 Mike Akhigbe Way, Jabi, Abuja;
Plot 2276 Sunrise Estate, Asokoro, Abuja, and Plot
1804 Damaturu Crescent, off Ahmadu Bello Way, Garki
11, Abuja.
Two other properties, belonging to the ex-minister,
which were also seized by the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission, are located at No. 1 and 3 Marian
Street, Asokoro, Abuja, and a twin plaza at Wuse Zone
3 by Tamarak Guest Inn, Abuja.
Five other properties, belonging to the ex-minister’s son
were also seized.
The properties are at 7 Gana Street, Maitam, Abuja; an
estate and plaza at Dawaki, opposite Gwarinpa, Abuja;
an estate at Jahi District, Abuja; three duplexes at
Abuja Investment Company Limited Estate, Abuja, and
a shop at Dubai Market, Kaura District, Abuja.
Bala is also being prosecuted by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 15-count
charge of money laundering to the tune of N1.2 billion.
He was arraigned before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, who
admitted him to N100m bail with two sureties in the
sum of N50m each.
The EFCC accused the minister’s son of carrying out
business transactions worth billions of Naira in cash,
which is in violation of the Money Laundering Act.
Specifically, Shamsudeen was accused of buying all the
aforementioned properties in cash.
One of the charges read in part, “That you,
Shamsudeen Bala (alias Shamsudeen Mohammed
Bala), Bird Trust Agro Allied Limited and Intertrans
Global Logistics Limited, sometime in 2015 in Abuja,
within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did,
without going through a financial institution, make cash
payment of N200,000,000 to A&K Constructions
Limited , Abuja, and Sunrise Estate Development
Limited for Construction of a house on Plot Nos 2116
and 2276 at Asokoro Gardens (alias Sunrise Estate),
Abuja, which exceeded the statutory limit and thereby
committed an offence contrary to Section 1 of the
Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended
in 2012 and punishable under Section 16 (2)(b) and
(4) of the same Act.”
Bala is also under investigation by the House of
Representatives Committee on the FCT for an alleged
scam in the controversial Centenary City project.