Former governor of Imo, South-East Nigeria, Rochas Okorocha has vowed to appeal the judgement of the State High Court on the final forfeiture of properties belonging to him and his wife, Nkechi.
Gatekeepers News earlier reported that Justice Fred Njemanze who presided on Monday ordered that the properties be permanently forfeited to the state government.
In his reaction, Okorocha, through Oba Maduabuchi, his lead counsel, declared his objection to the court’s decision.
He claimed the judge quickly gave the judgement without any communication to him and his legal team.
According to Maduabuchi, Louis Alozie, had on behalf of the state government, asked the court to permit Okorocha’s team to adopt their various processes so that the judge can deliver a ruling if need be.
He said as of August 6, the court was meant to sit to adopt the preliminary objections in the matter, but that the court did not, and the reason given was that “the judge was indisposed to entertain the matter”.
Maduabuchi said all parties involved in the case later agreed to sit on August 11 due to stay-at-home order by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Gatekeepers News reports that he further said the crux of his preliminary objection was that the properties which the state government wants Okorocha to forfeit are subjects of litigations pending in various courts as far back as 2019.
Maduabuchi added that his legal team will appeal the judgment and will not in any way allow “the level of perfidy exhibited by the Owerri high court presided over by Justice Fred Njemanze to stand”.
