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Tag: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

  • EFCC seeks tougher stance against oil thieves

    The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mr Ibrahim Magu, has called for concerted efforts to combat illegal oil bunkering and theft in the South-South by applying stiffer penalties.

    EFCC spokesman, Mr Tony Orilade, said in statement on Wednesday that Magu stated this when he visited the Commander, Nigeria Navy Ship Pathfinder (NNS Pathfinder) Cmdr. S. Bura in Port Harcourt.

    Orilade said in the statement that Magu was represented by Port Harcourt’s Zonal Head of the commission, Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa.

    According to Magu, the South-South remains the cash cow of Nigeria and tackling oil theft is not only a matter of law enforcement, but a patriotic duty.

    “Seventy to 80 per cent of our national revenue comes from the oil sector.

    Read also: Fireworks in Fayose’s trial as judge, EFCC’s lawyer clash

    “It is important that the menace of crude oil theft and illegal dealing in petroleum products is tackled frontally.

    “We need more of your cooperation to achieve this,’’ he said.

    Speaking earlier during the visit, Bura stressed that the Navy was always ready to offer its best services in the interest of the nation.

    “We are stakeholders. Nigeria belongs to all of us and as a Service, we have zero tolerance for illegality.

    “We do not compromise. I am personally allergic to indiscipline; and so you can be sure that we will always do what we should to tackle oil theft.’’ (NAN)

  • Fireworks in Fayose’s trial as judge, EFCC’s lawyer clash

    There were fireworks at the Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday as Justice Mojisola Olatoregun accused prosecuting counsel Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) of being “incompetent” and “extremely rude”.

    The judge accused Jacobs of engaging in “Jankara” practice but the Senior Advocate said he took “exception” to being described in such terms.

    He said it was the first time he would be so described by any judge in all his years of legal practice.

    The exchange occurred in the trial of former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused Fayose of receiving and keeping N1.2billion and $5million allegedly stolen from the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA) contrary to the Money Laundering Act.

     Fayose pleaded not guilty.

    The exchange occurred after the cross-examination of the 10th prosecution witness, Maroun Mechleb, who is the Chief Executive Officer of an Akure, Ondo State-based construction firm, Samchase Nigeria Limited.

    The witness testified he handled several contracts for Ekiti State, which he said were facilitated by Fayose’s aide, Abiodun Agbele.

    He said there was a gentleman’s agreement that he would appreciate Agbele for every contract he facilitated.

    He said he gave Agbele N132.5million on one occasion as “appreciation” for an unspecified contract he facilitated.

    In one of the counts of the charge, EFCC alleged that Fayose acquired chalets 3 and 4, 6 and 9 on Plot 100 Tiamiyu Savage Street, Victoria Island, Lagos in the name of JJ Technical Services Ltd with N1,151,711,573.

    Mechleb told the court that he and his brothers, who testified earlier, also ran J.J Technical Services, but that the firm was unable to get a job from the state.

    The witness said he once lied to the EFCC about owning a property based on Agbele’s instructions in a bid to help “a friend”.

    His words: “Mr Agbele asked for a company we can use to get a job. I gave the name (J.J. Technical Services) to Abiodun Agbele to help get a job for the company.

    “Mr Agbele bought a property and put it in the company’s name. He gave me the documents of the property to sign. I cannot read English properly, but I just signed the documents,” Mechleb said.

    Jacobs asked him: “Did you know what the documents were about?”

    The witness said: “It was later that I got to know that the documents were about a property and I had to contact Mr Agbele.”

    Read also: FG approves N27.4bn for victims of conflicts, insecurity, flooding

    On how he came to pay Agbele N132.5million, Mechleb said: “I had an agreement with Agbele that I would appreciate him. He gave me an account to send the money, which I have done.

    “He told me that I have one house, because I paid N132.5million to him. The truth is that the house does not belong to me but to Mr Agbele.

    “After I made the first statement at EFCC, my lawyer asked me to go back and say the truth.”

    Asked what he knew about Agbele, the witness said: “I know he was the one helping to facilitate the jobs. We agreed that when he gets the job for me, I will appreciate him.

    “We did not specify the amount but it’s around 10 per cent.”

    Under cross-examination by defence counsel Mr Ola Olanipekun (SAN) (for Fayose) and Olalekan Ojo (SAN) (for Fayose’s co-accused Spotless Ltd), Mechleb said: “In making the first statement, I did not say the truth. I was trying to help my friend. I can lie to help a friend.

    “I later obeyed my conscience and went back to EFCC to say the truth.”

    The witness said the contracts Agbele got for him were undocumented.

    “We were given about six or seven contracts by Ekiti State. The contracts Agbele got for me were not in writing. The description of what I was to do was given to me verbally.”

    He also said he never interacted directly with Fayose. “My interactions were with Mr Agbele, no more, no less,” he said.

    During cross-examination, Olanipekun tendered parts of Mechleb’s statements at EFCC but not all.

    When Jacobs sought to tender the remaining part during his re-examination of the witness, Olanipekun and Ojo objected on the basis that Jacobs could not tender a statement at the re-examination stage.

    Justice Olatoregun upheld the objections, but added that Jacobs could “have another bite at the cherry” by tendering it later. She did not mark the document as rejected.

    But the judge took offence when Jacobs made reference to a submission by Ojo during his objection.

    Justice Olatoregun said: “Mr Jacobs, you dare not! You are not competent to look into my ruling, to evaluate my ruling. You are totally incompetent, whether you are a Senior Advocate or not.”

    Jacobs said: “I was not referring to Your Lordship’s ruling.”

    Justice Olatoregun said: “You are going beyond your bounds. Do not let me trash your practice. Listen to me, if you reevaluate my rulings in this court, you’ll get into trouble.

    “You can only go on appeal, Mr Jacobs. Your mode of advocacy, I do not understand it. It looks like what do they call it?… Jankara market practice.”

    Jacobs: “Thank you my Lord”.

    Judge: “You stand here to reevaluate my ruling; you are incompetent to do that. If you have any re-examination, you do that. If you do not have, call your next witness, or you take a date.”

    Jacobs: “I’m grateful to your Lordship. Thank you my Lord.”

    Judge: “You do not stand there with impetus and reevaluate my ruling. I have ruled, relying on two sections of the Evidence Act.

    “If you have an objection to that, you go on appeal. You have no competence, carrying your wig with arrogance, and we have a lot of young lawyers here. What are you teaching them? You stand up to a judge and re-evaluate the ruling of a judge. It cannot happen in my court!

    “Re-examine your witness; if you are not re-examining, then close your case.”

    Jacobs: “My Lord, I did not refer to Your Lordship’s ruling. I never said a word about Your Lordship’s ruling.”

    Judge: “I do not take tangential comments here. You are fond of doing that. You are an extremely rude senior advocate.

    “If you are a senior advocate, you are not older than me at the Bar and you are not older than me in age.

    “In Yoruba land, we respect age. And in this job, we have what they call professional ethics and respect for each other.”

    Jacobs: “I have offered respect to My Lord.”

    Judge: “You have never offered it.”

    Jacobs: “For My Lord to say that I am Jankara practice lawyer…”

    Judge: “Yes, I am saying it. When you finish here, you can write a petition to the NJC (National Judicial Council).

    “I’m saying it, and I’m not going withdraw it. I have said it. Go and do whatever you like

    “I have called you into chambers and I told you what you’re doing which is not right. You do not just ridicule yourself here, and you have not stopped.”

    Jacobs: “I’ve been in this job for a while. I have appeared before several judges, from the lower court to the Supreme Court. No judge has ever called me a Jankara practitioner.”

    Judge: “I do not want to know. I do not want to know how many years…”

    Jacobs: “I never engaged in Jankara practice, and I take exception to that word, Jankara practice.”

    Judge: “Now, are you re-examining your witness?”

    Jacobs: “Yes, I am. But I take exception to that word, Jankara practice. I take full exception to it.

    “I do my job according to my conscience; I will never pervert the course of justice; I will never call any witness to come here and lie against another person. I fear God. But for one to suppress truth, I will fight against it.”

    Two other Lebanese, Goshen Joseph and Joseph Mechleb, earlier testified that J.J. Technical Services had no jobs and never got any from the state.

    A lawyer, Mr Kennedy Osunwa, earlier testified that he was engaged to prepare a deed of assignment with respect to a property on 100, Tiamiyu Savage, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    He said: “Sometime in 2014/2015, a company that I had retainership with as a tenant solicitor (Still Earth Ltd) called me and said they had acquired some properties lying at 100, Tiamiyu Savage, Victoria Island, and that they had concluded arrangement to sell some because they had a buyer.

    “The particulars of the buyer were given to me to prepare a deed of assignment. I was told that one Abiodun Agbele with a company, J. J Technical, were buying the property.”

    Justice Olatoregun adjourned until April 15 for continuation of trial.

  • Fayose: I prepared Deeds of Assignment for properties in V.I, Lawyer testifies

    A Seventh Prosecution Witness, Mr Kennedy Osunwa, on Wednesday told a Federal High Court in Lagos that he was engaged to prepare a Deed of Assignment with respect to a property lying at 100, Tiamiyu Savage, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    The witness, who is a legal practitioner, gave the evidence at the resumed trial of immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, who is standing trial on allegations bordering on fraud.

    Fayose was arraigned on an 11-count charge by The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Oct. 22, 2018 alongside a company, Spotless Investment Ltd.

    He had pleaded not guilty to the charges and the court had granted him bail in the sum of N50 million with one surety in like sum.

    EFCC had opened the case for the prosecution on Nov. 19, 2018 and called four witnesses.

    On Jan. 21, 2018, the prosecution called its fifth witness, Sen. Obanikoro, a former Minister of State for Defence.

    At the last adjourned date on Tuesday (yesterday) both the fifth Prosecution Witness, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, and the sixth witness, Mr Omotayo Falae, had both concluded their evidences before the court.

    On Wednesday, Osunwa appeared in court as seventh witness for the EFCC.

    The Prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), led him in evidence and asked him to tell the court what he knows about the case.

    Osunwa narrated :” Sometime in 2014/2015, a company that I had retainership with as a tenant solicitor, (Still Earth Ltd), called me and said they had acquired some properties lying at 100, Tiamiyu Savage, Victoria Island

    “And that they have concluded arrangement to sell some because they have a buyer and the particulars of the buyer were given to me to prepare a Deed of Assignment.

    “I was told that one Abiodun Agbele with a company, J. J Technical, are buying the property,”

    The witness said that the necessary particulars, as well as the consideration for the property which he was to insert in the agreement, were supplied to him and he prepared the Deed.

    He said that at completion, he informed the officers of the company that the Deed was ready for execution and they instructed him to bring the agreement to the company as the said Agbele would be coming to take same.

    The witness told the court that the agreement was sent as requested and after some days he was called by the officers of the company that same had been executed and he was shown a copy of the Deed that was acknowledged by Agbele’s lawyer, one Mr Kolade.

    He said that in 2016, he was invited by the EFCC to come with all the officers of his company as well as with all the Deeds of Assignment he prepared with respect to the property at Victoria Island.

    The witness said that after he received the invite, he immediately travelled to Abuja with all the requirements, adding that he submitted all document to the Commission.

    Laying a foundation for tendering of the document, the prosecutor asked the witness “If you see the document will you recognise it” and the witness replied “Yes”

  • EFCC fails to open trial in case against ex-SGF, Babachir Lawal, others

    The scheduled commencement of trial in the N544million criminal case against ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal and others was stalled on Monday owing the amendment effected on the charge by the prosecution.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had, on February 12 this year, arraigbed Lawal, his brother, Hamidu David Lawal (a director of Rholavision Engineering Limited), an employee of the company, Sulaiman Abubakar and the Managing Director of Josmon Technologies Limited, Apeh John Monday before Justice Jude Okeke of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama.

    Arraigned with them, on the 10-count charge filed by the EFCC, are two firms – Rholavision Engineering Limited and Josmon Technologies Limited.

    The ex-SGF was accused of benefiting illegally from the approval of N544,119,925.36 for the removal of invasive plant species and simplified irrigation.

    It also alleged that Babachir Lawal knowingly held indirectly a private interest in the consultancy contract awarded to Rholavision Engineering Limited for the removal of invasive plant species and simplified irrigation to the tune of N7 million and N6.4 million.

    After their arraignment, the defendant were admitted to bail, following which the court fixed March 18 for the prosecution to open its case by calling witnesses.

    When the case was called on Monday, lead prosecution lawyer, Ufot Uket told the court that amended charge has been filed, which now includes Josmon Technologies Limited, in counts six, nine and 10.

    Uket told the court that the amendment of the 10-count charge was informed by the omission of Josmon’s name in counts six, nine and 10.

    He urged the court to append endorsement note on the charge in accordance with Section 218 (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.

    Responding, lawyer to the ex-SGF, Akin Olujinmi (SAN) did not object to the amendment, but said he was opposed to Uket’s the application for endorsement note, an application, he argued, was misconceived.

    Olujinmi said the prosecution ought to have filed a fresh charge instead of asking for an endorsement note.

    He said the amendment would affect the commencement of trial, which was scheduled for Monday.

    Other defence lawyers: D.N Idoko (second defendant); Napoleon Idenala (third defendant); Ocholi Okutekpa (fourth and sixth defendants) and Mercel Oru (fifth defendant) agreed with Olujinmi’s position.

    Justice Okeke later granted the prosecution the permission to amend the charge in accordance with Section 218 of ACJA.

    The judge ordered the prosecution to file a fresh charge instead of seeking an endorsement note on the amended charge.

    The amended charge was later read to the defendants, to which they pleaded not guilty.

    The judge allowed the defendants to continue to enjoy the bail earlier granted them and adjourned to April 11 for the commencement of trial.

  • Fayose: Court admits Obanikoro’s dead aide’s statement in evidence

    The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday admitted in evidence a statement made by the late Justin Erukaa, a former Personal Assistant of ex-Minister of State for Defence Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun held that the statement was admissible in law.

    Obanikoro was testifying for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the trial of former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose.

    Counsel for Spotless Limited, Fayose’s co-accused, Mr. Olalekan Ojo (SAN), had during proceedings on February 7 urged the judge to admit the statement in evidence.

    He said the statement was relevant to the case because Erukaa made it in the course of EFCC’s investigation.

    “In law, the first litmus test of admissibility is relevance. Obanikoro said in his testimony that he sent Erukaa on errands, including to collect over $1million and that he came to meet him in Ekiti.

    “In law, a statement made to the EFCC in the course of investigation is admissible in evidence without the maker being called as witness or being a party to proceedings.

    “It is not the law that a document which is not tendered through the maker is not admissible,” the SAN said, relying on sections 39 and 83 of the Evidence Act.

    But, prosecuting Counsel Rotimi Jacobs opposed Ojo’s bid to tender the statement, arguing that it was not admission in law.

    He said the sections relied on by Ojo were not application in the circumstances.

    But the judge overruled Jacobs yesterday, holding that Sections 39 and 49 of the Evidence Act make such a document admissible.

    She said the issue was what weight the court would attach to the statement, which was the court’s to determine.

    Fayose is on trial for allegedly receiving and keeping N1.2billion and $5million allegedly stolen from the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA) contrary to the Money Laundering Act.

    He pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned on an 11-count charge last October 22.

    Under cross-examination yesterday, Obanikoro reiterated that three were no records of the money sent from ONSA.

    “We’re dealing with security issues. It can be called anything just to protect the transactions. They can be characterised as anything,” he said.

    He said there was no contract awarded before the fund was transferred, adding that he supervised Sylvan Mcnamara Ltd’s account from which the fund was disbursed.

    He said funds paid into the account were for the security of Lagos, and for election purposes in Ekiti and Osun states.

    “I only took supervisory responsibility of the account during the transactions for Lagos, Ekiti and Osun.

    “No contract was signed. Matters of election can be matters of security. Political matters can also be security-related,” Obanikoro said.

    Asked if he would be surprised that the ONSA denied paying N2.2billion to Sylvan Mcnamara’s account Obanikoro said: “I won’t be surprised.”

    EFCC said Fayose and Biodun Agbele, who is facing a different charge, allegedly took possession of N1, 219,000,000 on June 17, 2014 to fund the former governor’s 2014 gubernatorial campaign.

    The commission said Fayose “reasonably ought to have known” that the money “formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: criminal breach of trust/stealing.”

    EFCC said Fayose, on the same day, received cash payment of $5million from Obanikoro, without going through a financial institution, the sum having exceeded the amount authorised by law.

    Fayose pleaded not guilty.

    Trial continues today.

  • EFCC arraigns 4 for alleged N19m fraud in Sokoto

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Friday, arraigned four persons before the Federal High Court in Sokoto, for alleged advance fee fraud to the tune of N19 million.

    The accused persons are: Jabir Ladan, Sani Musa, Kabir Musa and Aliyu Muhammad, while Hassan Sadiq, an accomplice, is still at large.

    The accused persons, all residents of Sokoto metropolis. are facing a nine-count charge, which contravened section 8 subsection ‘A’ of Advance Fee Fraud and other frauds related offences Act.

    According to the charge sheet, the accused, between July to Sept. 2018, on different occasions, defrauded one Abdulrazak Muratala of the said amount.

    The Prosecution Counsel, Mr Muhammad Gambo, said they collected the amounts on the pretext of facilitating the release of Muratala’s goods seized by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

    However, when the charges were read, the accused persons pleaded not guilty, and the prosecution applied for adjournment to commence trial and present witnesses.

    The defence counsel, Mr Yahaya Gwazawa did not object to the adjournment, but applied for bail of the accused persons.

    The trial judge, Justice Saleh Idrissa, ordered the accused to be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the case to March 18, for hearing of the bail application.

  • Court refuses to hands-off ex-minister Akinjide’s trial

    Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High Court in Lagos Wednesday refused to recuse himself from the trial of former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Mrs Jumoke Akinjide for alleged money laundering.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned her with a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader in Oyo State Chief Olarenwaju Otiti and a former Senator representing Oyo Central Senatorial District Ayo Adeseun.

    Former Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, said to be at large, is also named in the charge.

    Otiti and Adeseun had on February 6 prayed the judge to recuse himself from the case.

    They accused him of bias, claiming that as a former head of EFCC’s legal unit, they did not believe they would get justice in his court.

    Justice Hassan headed the EFCC’s legal unit before he was appointed a judge.

    The applications were filed after trial had begun, during which a trial-within-trial was also held.

    But, Justice Hassan dismissed the applications, describing them as “cheap blackmail”.

    He held: “As rightly submitted by the prosecution, at the time the defendants were investigated and subsequently charged before the Federal High Court in Ibadan, the trial judge had been appointed a judge already.

    “I agree with learned counsel for the prosecution that judges of superior courts of record swear to oath of allegiance to be just and fair, and cannot be disqualified from presiding over cases by mere allegations that the judge once worked in an organisation.

    “Learned counsel to the third defendant had filed a similar application for the transfer of the case to Ibadan.

    “On 12 December 2018, the court dismissed the application, only for counsel to turn around and raise allegations of bias.

    “These applications are meant to harass, intimidate and blackmail the court; the court will not succumb to cheap blackmail.

    “Both applications are liable to be dismissed and they are accordingly dismissed. I make no order as to cost,” the judge held.

    The defendants were re-arraigned last January 16 on the amended charge.

    EFCC accused them of conspiring to directly take possession of N650million from Mrs. Alison-Madueke, which they reasonably ought to have known was part of proceeds of an unlawful act, and without going through a financial institution.

    The alleged offence, EFCC said, contravenes the Money Laundering Act.

    Justice Hassan adjourned until April 18 for continuation of trial.

  • EFCC arrests impersonator of Hammed Ali

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested one Azeez Afolayan, for impersonating the Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service, Retired Col. Hameed Ali and using his name to allegedly scam job seekers.

    EFCC spokesman Mr Tony Orilade made this known in a press statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

    The commission said that Afolayan was arrested by EFCC operatives in Ilorin, Kwara, following complaints from one of his victims.

    “Trouble started for him when a staff of the Customs Service, Hasaan Muhammed petitioned the EFCC, accusing him of defrauding innocent Nigerians seeking employment into the service.

    “He had so far defrauded them of about N1 million.

    “Under interrogation, he admitted to the crime,” it said.

    According to the statement, Afolayan confessed that “I started duping people since 2017 up till date; I have duped about five people.

    Read Also: Why we arrested Atiku’s son-in-law, by EFCC

    “I collected different amount of money from my victims and all of them used to transfer money to my bank accounts.

    “I used to tell them that I will help them to secure employment with the Nigerian Custom Services, but I was just scamming.”

    Some of the items recovered from him include, Nigerian Customs Service Application Forms, employment letters, passport photographs of some job seekers among others.

    “He will soon be charged to court,” the statement said.

    NAN

  • Alleged N25m fraud: former NBA chair arrested

    Former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja branch, Yinka Farounbi, was yesterday arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for alleged N25 million fraud.

    Farounbi’s arrest during the general monthly meeting of the NBA, Ikeja branch, held at the Bar Centre, old Secretariat, Ikeja, GRA, followed his refusal to honour an invitation sent to him by the commission.

    Three members of the NBA, Ikeja chapter, including Gabriel Opayinka, were alleged to have petitioned the EFCC alleging N25 million fraud during the last administration led by Adesina Ogunlana.

    It was gathered that Ogunlana was recently released after spending three nights in EFCC custody over the same issue.

    Ogunlana was said to have been arrested at his Ikorodu Road, Onipanu law firm after his initial refusal to honour the anti-graft agency’s invitation.

    The Nation learnt that Farounbi was invited for interrogation by the EFCC when investigation showed that he was still signing bank cheques despite that his tenure had lapsed.

    It was gathered that Farounbi and another signatory were prevailed upon to sign cheques to execute urgent programmes of the branch, as the Ogunlana led executive were yet to effect change of bank signatories as a result of the crisis that engulfed the bar after their election.

    A source within the bar said the meeting of the lawyers was in progress when it was suddenly interrupted by the arrival of the EFCC operatives.

    On arrival, the EFCC officials were said to have asked for Farounbi, saying they wanted to arrest him.

    The Chairman of the branch, Dele Oloke, was alleged to have identified Farounbi to the EFCC operatives for arrest, a development that infuriated the lawyers.

    It was said that Opayinka and two others owned up to the petition submitted to the EFCC alleging N25million fraud in the bar.

    The source said the situation turned into a chaos, as lawyers, who were not happy about the invasion of their meeting, resisted Farounbi’s arrest and slammed the branch Chairman, Oloke, for not protecting the former chairman.

    In the crisis that ensued, a female operative of the EFCC was allegedly assaulted before they retreated.

    The development made the EFCC operatives to call for reinforcement from their office.

    However, before their arrival, Farounbi surrendered and was driven away in a Toyota Hiace bus marked BWR 643 GA at about 15:35pm.

    With the arrival of the reinforcement, the injured female EFCC operative, whose jacket was torn, and her colleagues said they would not leave the centre until those who assaulted her were arrested.

  • Court refuses to make forfeiture order on Patience Jonathan’s $8.4m, N7.4b

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday refused to order the forfeiture of $8.4 million and N7.4 billion linked to former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan.

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun refused an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) application for a final forfeiture of the sums seized from the former First Lady.

    The judge had last April 20 ordered temporary forfeiture of the funds which EFCC said were suspected to be proceeds of crime.

    Mrs Jonathan, Globus Integrated Services Ltd, Finchley Top Homes Ltd., Am-Pm Global Network Ltd, Pagmat Oil and Gas Ltd and Magel Resort Ltd and Esther Oba are the respondents.

    Among the temporarily forfeited sums are N1.085billion and N226.3million found in Finchley’s Ecobank account and N39.4million found in its Diamond Bank account, as well as N55.9million found in Pagmat Oil and Gas’ Diamond Bank account, among others.

    Mrs Jonathan’s lawyers argued that the money included donations and legitimate earnings by the companies linked to her.

    Justice Olatoregun said parties must give oral evidence to justify the money’s source and ownership.

    “I have stated here that the right of parties in this suit cannot be determined by affidavit evidence.

    “Oral testimonies are to be called with cross extermination.

    Read Also: EFCC: Patience Jonathan’s ally Shagaya’s account lawfully frozen

    “I hereby order parties to call upon their witnesses so that the right of parties can be determined one way or the other,” the judge ruled.

    EFCC said the money is “reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity”.

    The commission also faulted Mrs Jonathan’s claim that some of the funds were donations.

    “From the totality of what she filed, she did not disclose the identities of those who made the donations. Fictitious names were used to deposit the funds in the accounts, which show their fraudulent nature,” EFCC said.