The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) disclosed Monday that it was investigating former First Lady, Patience Jonathan for her alleged involvement in money laundering activities.
The EFCC said its investigation of Mrs. Jonathan was informed by its discovery that she allegedly laundered money and bought property beyond her legitimate earnings.
An investigator with the EFCC, Kolawole Mukaila, who is a member of a special task force constituted by the commission to investigate the ex-First Lady, disclosed this in a court document.
Mukaila, who deposed to a counter-affidavit filed by the EFCC, said his special task force is “investigating alleged amounts of money laundered by the former First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dame Patience Jonathan into various accounts and property purchased, which are disproportionate to her known source of income”
The EFCC investigator also described as misleading claim by Mrs. Jonathan that her property in Abuja has been demolished by a government’s agency at the instigation of the commission.
Mukaila stated, in a counter affidavit it filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja that, as against Mrs. Jonathan’s claim, the property, housing some organisations linked to her was never demolished.
Mrs. Jonathan’s lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) told the court on January 22 this year that a property owned by a group – A. Aruera Reachout Foundation/Women for Change and Development Initiative, linked with the ex-First Lady, has been demolished by an agency of the government.
He said the property, an uncompleted structure, is said to be located on Shehu Yar’Adua Way along Mabushi-Kado Life Camp Expressway, Abuja.
When asked by the court if he was aware of the alleged demolition, lawyer to the EFCC, Benjamin Manji denied knowledge of such development.
Manji said he was hearing for the first time that the property, the subject of an ex-parte motion the EFCC filed, has been demolished.
He said the property was a subject of an ongoing investigation of alleged money laundering case by the EFCC, which informed the motion for interim forfeiture now pending before the court.
In view of EFCC’s position, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba directed that the true position be investigated and that parties should report to the court at next hearing date.
It was in compliance with the directive of the judge that the EFCC filed its counter affidavit dated February 23, 2018. It was in response to an earlier affidavit by Ozekhome (dated. February 7, 2018) complaining about the alleged demolition.
Mukaila stated that contrary to the claim by Mrs. Jonathan’s lawyer, the property in question, known as Plot No: 1758 Cadastral Zone A00 Central Business District, Abuja is still exist and was never demolished by any person or group of persons.
He further stated that the position presented by Ozekhome, at the last hearing in the case (on January 22), “misrepresented facts in making the court to believe that the entire structure which the applicant (EFCC) applied to be forfeited was demolished by officers of the applicant in conjunction with Federal Capital Development Authority/Development Control (FCDA/DC).”
Mukaila stated that what was demolished by FCDA/DC was a mini chalet situated behind the main structure due to non-approval.
He added: “I personally visited the property and confirmed that the property known as Plot No: 1758 Cadastral Zone A00 Central Business District, Abuja is still exist and was never demolished by anyone
“From my visit to the property and also as seen on Annexure EFCC 1 – 4 (photographs of the structure), what was demolished was a mini chalet situated behind the main building.
“Upon enquiry from the FCDA/DC, I was reliably informed that the Development Control, under the FCDA, carried out the demolition of the chalet and the reason is that the building of the chalet has no government approval as specified by law,” he said.
When the case was called yesterday, EFCC’s lawyer, Rimamsomte Ezekiel informed the court about the counter-affidavit, which he said has been served on the respondent.
Ozekhome acknowledged service, but said he required time to respond because he was served late last Friday.
He faulted EFCC’s claim in the counter affidavit.
Ozekhome said: “The counter affidavit is a lie, because we are going to attack it for what it is.
“If it was in those days when we have sufficient security, we would have asked that the court visit the site of the building.
“They wantonly demolished two out of the four houses that constituted the structure.
“What they did in their counter affidavit was to take the pictures from the back of the other two buildings that are yet to be demolished.
“When we return on the next adjourned date, we shall argue that while the case is pending before the court, they do not have a right to demolish even a room in the building,” Ozekhome said.
Justice Dimgba later adjourned to April 12 for hearing.
