BREAKING: Diezani loses bid to recover $40m jewellery from FG

Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by the former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, challenging the forfeiture of her $40million worth of jewellery to the Federal Government.

The appellate court on Friday held that there was no substance in Alison-Madueke’s bid to overturn the lower court’s order.

Justice Festus Obande, who read the judgment on Friday, held that there was no substance in Alison-Madueke’s bid to overturn the lower court’s order and subsequently dismissed the move by the former Minister to challenge the forfeiture order.

The court affirmed the 2019 judgment of Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court which forfeited the jewellery following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The appellate court gave its judgment in an appeal filed by Alison-Madueke marked as Appeal No CA/L/1263/19 between DIEZANI ALISON MADUEKE the EFCC.

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On July 5, 2019, the EFCC secured an order of the high court temporarily forfeiting the expensive items to the Federal Government.

According to the schedule attached to the application, the jewellery, categorised into 33 sets, include “419 expensive bangles; 315 expensive rings; 304 expensive earrings; 267 expensive necklaces; 189 expensive wristwatches; 174 expensive necklaces and earrings; 78 expensive bracelets; 77 expensive brooches; and 74 expensive pendants.”

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The items were seized from the former Minister’s premises, at No. 10 Fredrick Chiluba Close, Asokoro, Abuja.

Justice Oweibo on July 19, 2019 granted the EFCC’s motion for final forfeiture of the jewellery.

The judge held that the former Minister failed to show cause why the jewellery should not be forfeited to the Federal Government.

Diezani jewellery