The court set July 6 to decide on the confiscation of 57 properties of former minister Malami

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday fixed July 6 for judgment in the confiscation lawsuit filed by the EFCC against 57 properties linked to former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik set the date after EFCC lawyer, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) and counsel for Malami and other respondents, Adedayo Adedeji (SAN), adopted their process and presented their arguments for and against the case.

The commission, in its lawsuit, has requested final confiscation of property alleged to be the proceeds of unlawful activities.

Okutepa, in his arguments, told the court that the motion, filed in February, was supported by a 47-paragraph written statement with 46 exhibits.

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The attorney, who said the motion is in “three volumes,” prayed that the court grant the request.

Relying on that process, he urged the court to hold that Malami and the other respondents “sadly failed to show cause” that the property was “lawfully acquired.”

He urged the court to order the Federal Government to permanently forfeit the property.

Responding to this, Adedeji said the application, which was filed on February 27 and supported by a 109-paragraph written statement, was dismissed by Malami himself.

He said the affidavit was filed to show reasons why the final confiscation order was not granted.

Adedeji urged the court not only to set aside the previous interim order, but also state that the defendants had demonstrated that the property “was not obtained from the proceeds of crime.”

He argued that the EFCC relied solely on suspicion to allege that the property was acquired with the proceeds of crime.

“The court deals with evidence, not suspicion,” the lawyer said.

He urged the court to ignore the submissions of the EFCC lawyers.