Court Orders Temporary Forfeiture Of N350million Belonging To Patience Jonathan
A Federal high court in Lagos on Tuesday, ordered the temporary forfeiture of N350 Million found in the account of a company, AM-PM Global Network Limited, which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleged is proceeds of unlawful enrichment derived by former first lady, Mrs. Patient Jonathan.
Justice Hadiza Rabiu- Shagari gave the order after entertaining an ex -parte application filed and argued before the court by the EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the application and sworn to by an EFCC investigating officer, Musbahu Yahaya, the deponent averred that he was one of the investigating officers assigned to investigate the damning intelligence report received by the commission against AM-PM Global Company that the company is in possession of proceeds of unlawful act and retain same in its account attached.
Yahaya averred further that between 20th of June, 2012 and 15th of November, 2013, the company fraudulently received a total sum of N1,206,950,000 into its Diamond bank Account number 0026718889, being proceeds of unlawful enrichment derived by Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan, who was then Permanent Secretary appointed by the Bayelsa State Government.
In a bid to dissipate the funds, the company opened another account number 0016971559 with Stanbic IBTC and out of the alleged proceeds of unlawful enrichment of Mrs. Patience Jonathan the company transferred the total sum of N350million from its account in Diamond bank to the account in Stanbic IBTC Plc.
Consequently, the court was urged to issue an order freezing or attaching the account 0016971559 of the company domiciled in Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc.
In her ruling, Justice Hadizat Shagari ordered the Manager of Stanbic IBTC, Walter Carrington Crescent branch, to, in the interim, attach the funds in the said account pending the determination of the investigation and possible prosecution of the case.
