RismadarVoice Reporters, July 21, 2026
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to produce Abuja-based estate agent Rebecca Omokamo in court to continue her trial over alleged land fraud, forgery and money laundering.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik issued the order after Omokamo failed to appear in court for the continuation of her criminal trial on Tuesday.
At the resumed proceedings, Christopher Oshomeghie, SAN, told the court that his client had remained indoors for 23 days because operatives of the EFCC had allegedly laid siege to her Guzape residence. He said she feared for her safety and had therefore been unable to attend court.
According to the senior lawyer, the prolonged presence of armed EFCC operatives around the property had left his client in poor health after remaining confined indoors for several weeks.
Counsel to the EFCC, Benedict Ubi, however, disputed the claim, arguing that Omokamo was in what he described as “self-imposed house arrest” following the court’s interim forfeiture order on the disputed property.
The prosecutor alleged that the defendant had frustrated efforts by EFCC officers to enforce the court’s order and had also violated the conditions of her administrative bail by travelling outside the court’s jurisdiction on several occasions.
Responding to the submissions, Oshomeghie maintained that EFCC operatives had effectively prevented his client from leaving the premises by maintaining a continuous presence at the property.
Ubi, however, insisted that Omokamo was not being detained by the anti-graft agency, stating that she remained in possession of the keys to the apartment and had voluntarily locked herself inside.
After hearing both parties, Justice Abdulmalik directed the EFCC to produce Omokamo before the court and ordered that she be kept in the agency’s custody until Thursday, July 23, when the criminal trial is scheduled to continue.
The other defendants in the case are Homadil Realty Limited, Idakwogi Richard John and Rychado Homes Limited. Of the four defendants, only the third defendant, Richard John, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Rychado Homes Limited, was present in court during Tuesday’s proceedings.
Meanwhile, in a related civil suit also instituted by the EFCC over the disputed property, Justice Abdulmalik cautioned Oshomeghie against what she described as attempting to “ponder for the court.”
The rebuke came after the senior advocate sought clarification on the court’s earlier order directing parties to maintain the status quo, arguing that EFCC operatives had continued to occupy his client’s property despite the order.
In response, the judge remarked, “When I make an order, I go to sleep,” emphasising that it was not the responsibility of counsel to interpret or speculate on the court’s intentions.
During the civil proceedings, the EFCC informed the court that it had filed an application seeking the final forfeiture of the disputed property. The court also noted that an application by another party seeking to join the suit was pending.
Justice Abdulmalik held that the application for joinder would take precedence over the other pending applications and adjourned the civil matter until October 15 for hearing.
