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Court freezes N350m found In Patience Jonathan’s account with Stanbic IBTC

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A Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos on Tuesday granted an order temporarily freezing N350million belonging to a firm, AM-PM Global Network Limited.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleged that the money been clandestinely hidden in an account with Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc belonged to Dame Patience Jonathan, wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Upon an ex parte application filed and argued by the agency’s lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, the temporary freezing order was granted by Justice Hadiza Rabiu- Shagari.

In a nine paragraphs affidavit attached to the ex-parte application and sworn to by an EFCC operative, Mr Musbau Yahaya, it was averred that the commission sometimes ago received a damning intelligence report on the sum of money and upon investigation, it was found out that Stanbic IBTC Bank was in possession of proceeds of unlawful act and retained same in the account sought to be attached.

The commission stated further that between June 20, 2012 and November 15, 2013, the respondent (AM-PM Global Network Limited), fraudulently received N1, 206, 950 billion, into its Diamond Bank account number 0026718889, being proceeds of unlawful enrichment derived by Mrs. Patience Jonathan, who was then appointed Permanent Secretary by the Bayelsa State Government.

The deponent also stated that in a bid to dissipate the fund, the respondent opened account number 0016971559 with Stanbic-IBTC Bank, at Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island branch.

It was also averred that out of the total sum of N1, 206, 950 billion, AM-PM Global Network Limited transferred the total sum of N350million from its Diamond Bank’s account to the account sought to be attached in Stanbic IBTC in a desperate bid to dissipate the funds.

The anti-graft agency argued that there was the need for the court to freeze the account pending conclusion of investigation in order to prevent the dissipation of the funds.

The EFCC submitted that unless the application is heard and determined, the respondent will tamper with the account sought to be attached, urging the court in the interest of justice to grant the application .

After listening to the submission made by the EFCC lawyer, Justice Rabiu-Shagari, ordered the Manager of STANBIC-IBTC Bank, Walter Carrington Crescent branch, to in the interim, freeze the said N350 million, belonging to AM-PM Global Network Limited kept in the bank.

Peter Fowoyo, Lagos

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Ihesiulo Grace

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