The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, has upheld the order of interim forfeiture to the Federal government, of $5, 842, 316.66 and N2, 421, 953, 522.78 traced to the accounts of Dame Patience, wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Justice C.M.A. Olatoregun of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, had on April 26, 2017 granted an order of interim forfeiture of the sum $5, 842, 316.66 traced to Mrs. Jonathan’s account number 211001712 in Skye Bank Plc on the grounds that the money was reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
The judge had also granted an order of interim forfeiture of N2, 421, 953, 522.78 kept by Mrs. Jonathan in an account number 202200760 with Eco Bank Plc in the name of La Wari Furniture and Baths Limited.
However, the former First Lady, through her team of lawyers led by Messrs Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and I.A. Adedipe (SAN) approached the appellate court to set aside the order of the lower court.
Mrs. Jonathan’s lawyers also urged the Court of Appeal to declare as unconstitutional, the provisions of Sections 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.
However, the appellate court presided over by Justice Mojeed A. Owoade upheld both the constitutionality of Section 17 and the order of the interim forfeiture of the various sums of money belonging to Mrs. Jonathan.
The court made the order following an ex-parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
An operative of the Commission, Musbahu Abubakar, who deposed to the affidavit, had told the court that the former First Lady opened the Skye Bank account on February 7, 2013.
Abubakar had also told Justice Olatoregun that the former First Lady made several dollar cash deposits into the account through Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, a former aide of Dr. Jonathan, and a State House steward, Festus Iyoha.