EFCC: Patience Jonathan knows fate over choice properties April 30
Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court Abuja on Wednesday fixed April 30 for his verdict in the application for forfeiture of two choice properties belonging to the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan to the Federal government.
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had on October 20, 2017 through the agency’s lawyer, Benjamin Mangi, filed an exparte application, asking the court for an order of forfeiture of choice properties at Plot No. 1758, Cadastral Zone, B06 Mabushi and Plot No.1350, Cadastral Zone, A00 Central Business District, Abuja.
In the application, the EFCC is seeking for “an order of interim attachment/forfeiture of the assets and property set out in the schedule attached” to the suit.
“An order stopping any disposal, conveyance, mortgage, lease, sale or alienation or otherwise of the property/asset described in the attached herein.
“An order authorising the EFCC to appoint competent person(s)/firm to manage the asset/property listed in the schedule herein, temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government pending the conclusion of investigation.
The EFCC also said the application was predicated on the fact that the properties are subject matter of investigation, enquiry and examination.
But few days before the ex-parte application was to be heard, lawyer to Patience Jonathan, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), brought an application before the court, seeking to stop it on grounds that the properties were subject matter of another suit filed by EFCC before same Federal High Court in Abuja.
Arguing his client’s objection to the hearing of the ex-parte motion on Thursday, Ozekhome urged the court to condemn the action of the federal government whose agent demolished part of the property while the matter was pending in court.
He urged the court not to grant the EFCC prayer for forfeiture of the said properties on the grounds that they belong to a separate entity, the Aurora Foundation. He said that the Foundation has not breach any law .
The lawyer also said that it was illogical for the EFCC to state that the Foundation has not done any contract, to have raised funds for the construction of the structure, adding that it does not have to be involved in contracting job to raise money.
Ozekhome said, though, the EFCC motion was filed ex-parte , the commission made his client to be aware of it, giving rise to a situation where it is now improper and unfair to shave her hair in her absence.
But EFCC’s lawyer, Mangi denied that the Commission took part in the demolition of part of the building, insisting that the suit was different from the one before Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Abuja
Mangi further submitted that EFCC has the power to investigate without any prompting from anybody.
Emphasising that the EFCC’s application was filed ex-parte, Mangi urged the court to refuse Mrs Jonathan’s application and grant EFCC’s request for forfeiture of the two properties pending their investigations.
