An Imo State High Court in Owerri on Thursday ordered the temporary forfeiture of state assets allegedly held by former Governor Rochas Okorocha and his wife Nkechi.
Justice F. Njemanze ruled on an application by Louis Alozie (SAN) on the state’s behalf.
The applicant, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, sought the interim forfeiture of all state properties “illegally” acquired by Okorocha while in office.
The suit, numbered HOW/191/202, had the former governor’s wife, Mrs. Nkechi Okorocha, Incorporated Trustees of Rochas Foundation and Senator Rochas Okorocha as the respondents.
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Okorocha, who was in office as governor of Imo State from 2011 to 2019, is currently representing Imo West Senatorial District in the nation’s Senate.
The motion ex-parte was brought under Section 472(1) of the Imo State Administration of Criminal Justice Law No. 2 of 2020.
The state prayed for the interim forfeiture of properties allegedly acquired by Okorocha illegally.
They are the Eastern Palm University, Ogboko; Royal Spring Palm Hotels and Apartments; the IBC staff quarters acquired for Rochas Foundation College, Owerri; Magistrate Quarters on Orlu road; and Kilimanjaro eatery.
Also forfeited was Plot B/2 Otamiri South Extension Layout given to the Ministry of Women Affairs for a skills acquisition centre for women, which was allegedly illegally acquired for Nkechi’s All-In Stores on Aba road.
Others include Plot P5 Naze Residential Layout initially part of Primary School Management Board but now annexed to All-In Stores, Aba Road belonging to Okorocha’s wife.
The rest are all the properties contained on pages 226 to 272 of the Government White Paper.
The white paper is based on the recommendation of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Land Administration in Imo state from June 2006 to May 2019.
The applicant, the Attorney-General, said: “These public properties were converted to personal use by the first to third respondents and their cronies for which the applicants now intend to recover them in line with the White Paper by the Judicial Commission of Inquiry’s report.”
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