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Forfeiture: Court fixes Feb 12 for verdict on $8.4m, N9.1bn linked to Patience Jonathan

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A Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos on Tuesday fixed February 2 for its verdict in a suit by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), seeking an interim forfeiture of $8.4 million and N9.18billion linked to the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Mrs Patience Jonathan, five companies and Esther Oba.

The monies were said to be in custody of Skye Bank Plc, Diamond Bank Plc, and Stabic-IBTC.

Justice Mojisola Olatoregun had adjourned the hearing and determination of the ex-parte application filed against Mrs Jonathan and others at the instance of the EFCC lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo.

Other respondents in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/1918/17, are: Globus Integrated Service Limited, Finchley Top Homes Limited, AM-PM Global Network Limited, Pagmat Oil and Gas Limited, and Magel Resort Limited.

At the last hearing of the ex-parte application, Justice Olatoregun ordered the EFCC to file an affidavit showing that none of the properties is subject of litigation in any court.

But at the resumed hearing of the matter on Tuesday, the EFCC lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the court that his client had filed an affidavit to show that all monies seeking to be forfeited to the Federal government, are not subject of litigation in any court.

Oyedepo stated that in line with the court order, the EFCC at Abuja office, had filed a notice of continuation in relation to the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1342/17, before Justice Binta Nyako.

He added that the judge had on December 5, 2017, granted an interim order, which stopped the banks warehousing the money to place post No Debit order on the account.

He however stated that in view of the current position, the commission had filed a notice of discontinuance to that suit.

Justice Olatoregun later ordered that the EFCC lawyer should come back and expatiate further on current position of suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1342/17, before further hearing on the new ex-parte application.

Following the court’s position, the EFCC lawyer, Oyedepo asked for short adjournment, to enable the court give an update in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1342/17.

The EFCC has been in fresh move to seize funds in 15 bank accounts linked with Mrs. Patience Jonathan.

The funds, which the EFCC is seeking to seize, include a total of $8,435,788.84 and over N7.35bn.

The EFCC had appeared before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of the Federal High Court in Lagos with an ex parte application, seeking the temporary forfeiture of the funds.

The move was, however, interrupted by a train of senior lawyers led by Mr. Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN) and Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), who challenged the court’s jurisdiction to entertain the ex parte application.

The SANs told the judge that the funds, which the EFCC seeks to seize, were already subject of litigation.

But Oyedepo maintained that the SANs had no right of hearing in the court, since his application was ex parte, wondering how they got wind of the move by the anti-graft agency in the first place.

He urged the judge to disregard their appearance.

The judge upheld Oyedepo’s submission, following which the SANs left the courtroom.

But in view of the development, the judge adjourned the case till January 23, 2018 and directed the EFCC to file an affidavit to convince her that there were no pending lawsuits relating to the funds sought to be forfeited.

In the said ex parte application, the EFCC listed Patience Jonathan and five firms and one Esther Oba as respondents.

The firms that were listed as second to sixth defendants were Globus Integrated Services Ltd., Finchley Top Homes Ltd., Am-Pm Global Network Ltd., Pagmat Oil And Gas Ltd. and Magel Resort Ltd.

The ex parte application was backed by a 15-paragraph affidavit deposed to by an investigator with the EFCC, Huleji Tukura.

Tukura claimed that investigation by the anti-graft agency revealed that the funds found in the bank accounts linked to Mrs Jonathan emanated from the coffers of Bayelsa State and that the funds were moved at a time when the former First Lady served as a permanent secretary in one the ministries in Bayelsa State.

According to Tukura, Mrs Jonathan first opened a First Bank account and then “procured” the then Senior Special Assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, to fund the account with “proceeds of unlawful activities.”

Tukura further alleged that, “That the said Dudafa Warripamo-Owei procured one Festus Isidohomen Iyoha and Arivi Eneji Peter, who were domestic staff attached to the State House, Abuja, to deposit the funds, reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, in to account of the 1st respondent (Patience).

“That in depositing the funds into the account of the 1st respondent, the said domestic staff, in a bid to conceal their identity, deposited the funds, reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful act, into the 1st respondent’s account, using fictitious names.

“That the total sum of $4,036,750.00 reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, were deposited into account No. 2022648664 domiciled in First Bank Plc in the name of the 1st respondent.

“That on the 28th day of September, 2016, the 1st respondent, in dissipating the property sought to be forfeited, transferred the sum of $3,640,794.72 to the 1st respondent’s account No. 2031277178 domiciled in First Bank Plc.

“That on the 5th day of October, 2016, the 1st respondent withdrew the sum of $1,000,000.00 cash from the said account leaving the balance of the sum of $3,645,013.73 which sum we are urging this honourable court to forfeit in the interim to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

”That as at the time the various sums were deposited in into exhibit EFCC01, the 1st respondent was a serving permanent secretary in the employment of the Bayelsa State Government.

“That the funds sought to be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria are not the 1st respondent’s lawful earnings but are rather reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.”

The investigator further explained that the companies mentioned in the application were not into “any legitimate income-yielding business venture” but were rather incorporated at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) for the purpose of warehousing proceeds of unlawful activities for the former First Lady.

He claimed that every now and then, domestic servants at the Presidential Villa were sent to deposit money into the company’s accounts for Mrs Jonathan.

“The depositors into this account are domestic staff of State House, Abuja, who were procured by the said Dudafa Waripamo-Owei to deposit the funds sought to be forfeited in a bid to conceal the true origin of the funds,” Tukura added.

Making specific reference Globus Integrated Services Ltd., Tukura said, “None of the Directors of the 3rd Respondent are signatories to the said account. That Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan fraudulently assumed the identity of one Esther Oba as the signatory to the said account.

“That the total sum of N1,800,494,000.00 reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities are deposited into account No.4011019539 opened in the name of the 3rd respondent for the purpose of retaining proceeds of unlawful activities.

“That the signature displayed in the means of identification presented by the purported Esther Oba on passport No. A05977202 is at variance with the signature on mandate.

“That the said Esther Oba is currently at large and had refuse to honour repeated invitations extended to her.”

The EFCC is urging Justice Olatoregun to order the temporary forfeiture of all the funds – $8,435,788.84 and over N7.35bn – to prevent Mrs Jonathan from dissipating them.

Peter Fowoyo

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