Alleged $15.5m Money Laundering: Patience Jonathan Knows Fate May 8
Justice Mohammed Idris of a Federal High Court in Lagos will on May 8 decide whether or not to unfreeze $15.591 million frozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) million, allegedly belonging to four companies linked to the former first lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan.
Justice Idris fixed the date after entertaining arguments from parties in the fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by the former first lady.
Mrs. Jonathan in the suit is claiming the sum of $200 million against the EFCC, Skye Bank Plc, a former special assistant to her husband, Waripama-Owei Dudafa and four others for what she described as the inconvenience and embarrassment she suffered as a result of the freezing of her accounts.
Also joined in the suit are four companies: Pluto Property and Investment company Ltd, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd, Transocean Property and investment company Ltd and Globus Integrarted Service Ltd.
It will be recalled that the four companies, which the EFCC claimed was used by Dudafa to launder the $15.591 million dollars, had already pleaded guilty to the offence of money laundering before Justice Babs Kuewumi of the same court.
The sum involved in the criminal case is the same money which Mrs. Jonathan is claiming belongs to her as the sole signatory to the accounts of the convicted companies.
She, however, denied ownership of the companies.
While arguing the application on Thursday, Mrs. Jonathan’s counsel, Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN) accused the EFCC of placing a no debit order on the account of his client without any court’s order contrary to Section 34 of the EFCC Act.
Adedipe also submitted that, “EFCC froze Mrs Jonathan’s account before securing a court’s order even when she had complained that the money in the account belongs to her.
“The question to ask is that, is it legal for the EFCC to place a no debit order on an account without a valid court’s order?
“What has the agency been doing since last year July when it said it is investigating this matter? Are they still doing the investigation?
“All the defendants recognized that the money belongs to the plaintiff, even the EFCC has not said she is not the owner of the money”, he said.
Adedipe therefore urged the court to grant his client’s application by unfreezing her account.
In his reaction, EFCC’S counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, insisted that the plaintiff has no locus to contest the fund in dispute.
He said the EFCC is empowered by law to freeze an account without securing court’s order for at least 72 hours.
He urged the court to dismiss the application.
Skye bank’s lawyer, Lanre Ogunlesi (SAN), said his client cannot permit the dissipation of the fund until the issues regarding ownership of the money is resolved.
Dudafa’s lawyer, Gboyega Oyewole, in his submissions, urged the court to grant Mrs Jonathan’s application saying his client had explained all that needed to be said to prove that the money belong to her.
Lawyer representing three of the companies, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) challenged the EFCC to show that the money is indeed proceeds of crime.
Lawyer representing the last company, Ige Asemudara, told the court that he is not opposing the plaintiff’s application because she has a good case.
After all the arguments, Justice Idris adjourned till May 8 for judgment.
