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Tag: Patience Jonathan

  • Court to Jonathan’s wife: prove $15.591m is yours

    Court to Jonathan’s wife: prove $15.591m is yours

    •Judge refuses to unfreeze accounts

    The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday refused to grant Mrs. Patience Jonathan’s request to release her accounts holding $15.591million.

    Justice Mohammed Idris held that she and other parties must give oral evidence on the money’s ownership.

    Mrs. Jonathan will, therefore, be required to appear in court to give evidence on how she came about the money, which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) described as a “proceed of crime”.

    Since the case was filed, Mrs. Jonathan has never attended the proceedings. She has always been represented by lawyers.

    She sued the EFCC for placing a no-debit order on the Skye Bank Plc accounts.

    Justice Idris ordered parties to file pleadings since issues were joined on the money’s ownership.

    The judge said the defendants formulated issues that were different from the one formulated by Mrs. Jonathan in her originating summons, which he said was “unacceptable”.

    Besides, he said the nature of the case was not one to be decided by or an originating summons procedure in which witnesses are not called to testify.

    “The issues formulated by all the defendants are baseless. They go to no issue and will be ignored by the court.

    “I hold that this court lacks the competence to determine the issues raised by the defendants in their written addresses, having abandoned the specific issues formulated by the plaintiff in the originating summons.

    “It is unfortunate. I say this because the issues raised by the defendants appear on the face of it good and deserving to be considered on their merit.

    “But, I as I understand it to be the law, sentiment has no basis in the adjudicatory system,” the judge said.

    Justice Idris said where processes were not properly prepared, any defect would render the proceeding fatal.

    The court, he said, cannot “re-formulate” the issues for determination.

    He further held that there was a contention as to issues and facts on the money’s ownership.

    “In respect of this issue (of ownership), the contention appears divided and there is clearly an air of friction in the proceedings,” the judge said.

    According to him, all the defendants’ counter-affidavits contain disputed facts that could not be decided without oral evidence.

    “In the light of the above affidavit evidence, it cannot in my view be rightly contended that there are no disputed facts of substance as to the ownership of the said funds and the law.

    “The issues of fact raised by the defendants herein are not spurious or irrelevant. The affidavit of the plaintiff is also not conjectural.

    “In my view, the facts are contentious, and oral evidence needs to be led by the parties herein.

    “In the light of the above facts, this case is generally not suitable for an originating summons procedure.

    “In the circumstances, the court hereby orders that the parties herein file pleadings in accordance with the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules 2009 and trial shall then proceed accordingly.

    “This is the order of the court,” Justice Idris held.

    The EFCC had urged the court not to release the accounts because the money is suspected to be a “proceed of crime”.

    Skye Bank Plc, Jonathan’s former aide Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Ltd and Avalon Global Property Development Ltd are the other respondents.

    The companies, through their representatives, had pleaded guilty to laundering the money last September 15, when they were arraigned before Justice Babs Kuewumi of the same court.

    They were charged with Dudafa, Briggs and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku for laundering the money.

    Unlike the companies, Dudafa, Briggs and Bolodeoku pleaded not guilty to the 17-count charge.

    But, the companies, through another representative, filed an appeal, contending that they pleaded guilty “in error”. The appeal is pending.

    In a supporting affidavit to her application, Mrs. Jonathan’s aide, Sammie Somiari said Dudafa helped the former first lady to open the accounts about   March 2010.

    The deponent claimed Mrs. Jonathan was the sole signatory to the accounts and that she had no relationship with the companies.

    He said after the accounts were opened, Mrs. Jonathan discovered that Dudafa opened only one of the accounts in her name while the other four were opened in the names of companies belonging to Dudafa.

    The deponent said Mrs. Jonathan continued to operate the accounts even though they were not in her name.

    He said the bankers promised to rectify the problem by changing the accounts to Mrs. Jonathan’s name, but never did.

    EFCC is contending that the money is a proceed of crime and should be forfeited to the Federal Government.

    Another judge of the court on April 26 ordered the temporary forfeiture of a separate $5,842,316.66 belonging to Mrs. Jonathan.

    EFCC said the sum was “reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities”.

    According to the commission, “several huge cash deposits in dollars were made to the account, sometimes with fictitious names”.

     

  • EFCC: Jonathan’s wife paid N2.1b into account in two years

    EFCC: Jonathan’s wife paid N2.1b into account in two years

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told the Federal High Court in Lagos Wednesday that wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, allegedly paid $6,791,599.64 (about N2,150,378,386.32) into her account between February 8, 2013 and January 30, 2015.

    It said the money, which she allegedly directed her aides to pay into her account while her husband was President, was suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

    EFCC said Mrs Jonathan had earlier spent $949,282.98 (about N296,141,911) from the money.

    The commission said she also withdrew another N100,000 from the account this month, leaving a balance of $5,731,173.55.

    It prayed the court to order the temporary forfeiture of the remaining sum to prevent her from further dissipating it.

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun granted the order as prayed based on an ex-parte application by the EFCC.

    The commission said it found the money in an account numbered 2110001712 with Skye Bank Plc in Mrs Jonathan’s name.

    The judge also ordered the forfeiture N2,421,953,522.78 found in an Ecobank Nigeria Ltd account numbered 2022000760 in the name of La Wari Furniture and Baths Ltd.

    The commission said the money is also linked to Mrs Jonathan.

    EFCC said the sums were “reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities”.

    Justice Olatoregun directed the EFCC to publish the interim order in a newspaper.

    It is for the respondents or anyone who is interested in the property sought to be forfeited to appear before the court within 14 days to “show cause” as to why a final order of forfeiture should not be made in favour of the Federal Government.

    EFCC’s counsel Rotimi Oyedepo said the application was based on Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act 2006.

    In an affidavit in support of the ex parte originating summons, an EFCC operative, Musbahu Yahaha Abubakar, said he was a member of a Special Task Force Team assigned to investigate the case.

    He said the commission received an intelligence report that funds suspected to proceeds of crime were “warehoused” in the accounts.

    “The intelligence was analysed and found worthy of investigation,” Abubakar said.

    He said Mrs Jonathan opened the Skye Bank account on February 7, 2013.

    “Upon the opening of the account, several huge cash deposits in dollars were made to the account.

    “One Dudafa Waripamo Owei who was the Senior Special Assistant to the former President was one of the frequent depositors in the account.

    “Another frequent cash depositor of funds reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities into the account is one Festus Iyoha, a steward at the State House, Abuja,” the deponent said.

    The EFCC investigator said Iyoha also made deposits with fictitious names.

    Abubakar said between February 8, 2013 and January 30, 2015, $6,791,599.64 suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities was deposited into the account in cash.

    He said Mrs Jonathan had dissipated part of the funds, leaving a balance of $5,731,173.55.

    “If this fund is not forfeited in the interim, the operator of the account, Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan, will fully dissipate it.

    “She made cash withdrawal of $100,000 on the 7th of April, 2017 from the account after obtaining court order in suit No FHC/L/CS/1343/16 on the ground that she was not made a party to the suit,” the investigator said.

    On the N2.4billion, the operative said the commission also traced the money to the Ecobank account following suspicions that it was a proceed of crime.

    He said the “purported” signatory to the account was one Ada Ifegbu, with a telephone number belonging to one Esther Oba.

    The EFCC operative said the N2.4billion “were substantially the naira equivalent of the United States Dollars given to one Chima Nwafor John of Ecobank Nigeria Ltd by one Esther Oba at the Aso Rock Villa.”

    He said it was John who contracted bureau de change operators to convert the money to naira and deposit it to La Wari Furniture and Baths Ltd’s account.

    Abubakar said the dollars which were subsequently converted to naira and deposited in the firm’s account were all received in cash by John.

    The operative added: “The various deposits by Chima Nwafor John through the bureau de change operators were placed on fixed deposit.

    “The sum of N2,033,196,721.31 reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities is currently on fixed deposit in La Wari Furniture’s account.

    “Apart from the fixed amount, the sum of N388,751,801.47 reasonably suspected to be proceed of unlawful activities is currently standing to the credit of La Wari Furniture and Baths Ltd’s account.

    “It is in the interest of justice to, in the interim, make an order of forfeiture to the Federal Government of Nigeria and allow any person who has interest in the properties sought to be forfeited to appear before this Honourable Court within 14 days to show cause why the properties reasonably suspected by the applicant to be proceeds of unlawful activities should not be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    “It is in the interest of justice to grant this application.”

    Ruling, Justice Olatoregun said: “Application is granted as prayed.”

    This is coming a day EFCC withdrew its application for a stay of execution of a judgment which unfreezed the account.

    The EFCC freezed the account last year.

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun on April 6 unfreezed the account after Mrs. Jonathan’s lawyer, Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), argued that her client was not a party to suit.

    Dissatisfied with the order, EFCC filed an application for stay of execution but withdrew it on Monday.

    Justice Olatoregun adjourned until May 15.

     

  • Court orders forfeiture of Patience Jonathan’s $5.8m

    Court orders forfeiture of Patience Jonathan’s $5.8m

    The Federal High Court Lagos on Wednesday granted a fresh exparte application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)  for an order forfeiting the sum of $5.8 million belonging to  former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan.
    EFCC wants the sum forfeited to the Federal Government pending the determination of the motion on notice.
    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun held: “Order is granted as prayed”
    The new order was granted 24 hours after the EFCC withdrew a pending application for stay of the court’s judgment which had earlier unfrozen Jonathan’s account.

    Details soon……….

  • EFCC withdraws motion halting Patience Jonathan’s access to account

    EFCC withdraws motion halting Patience Jonathan’s access to account

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday withdrew its application for a stay of execution of the judgment which freed the account of wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience.

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun on April 6 freed the account with Skye Bank Plc with $5,842,316.66 (about N1.7 billion).

    Mrs. Jonathan’s lawyer Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN) had argued that her client was not a party to the suit by the EFCC, which resulted in freezing the account.

    Dissatisfied with the order, EFCC filed an application for a stay of execution and a notice of appeal.

    The two applications, according to EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, were dated April 6 and filed on April 7.

    Yesterday, Oyedepo informed Justice Olatoregun of the commission’s intention to discontinue the two applications.

    Adedipe confirmed the service of the application for withdrawal.

    He informed the court of his intention to withdraw contempt applications he filed against the bank.

    He said the Form 48 (notice of consequence of disobedience of court order) and Form 49 were filed against the Skye Bank for failing to obey the order freeing Jonathan’s account.

    Justice Olatoregun granted the applications.

    She froze the account last year and with that of five companies and Esther Oba’s.

    The companies’ accounts were said to contained N7.4 billion; and Oba’s $429,381.87 (about N131,712,634.09).

    Adedipe had urged the court to free the account on the grounds that his client was not a party to the suit.

    Citing judicial authorities, he contended that the suit was an abuse of court process as the court had no jurisdiction to make an order against a person that was not a party to a suit before it.

    EFCC, it was learnt, did not file any response to the application to discharge the order.

    Justice Olatoregun upheld Adedipe’s submission and discharged the order freezing the account.

    She made an order directing EFCC and Skye Bank to immediately free the account because all the claims in the plaintiff’s affidavit were not challenged or controverted.

     

  • EFCC withdraws motion to halt Patience Jonathan’s access to account 

    EFCC withdraws motion to halt Patience Jonathan’s access to account 

     

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Tuesday withdrew its application for a stay of execution of the judgment which unfreezed the account of wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience.

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun on April 6 unfreezed the account with Skye Bank Plc with her over $5,842,316.66 (about N1.7billion) lodged in it.

    Mrs. Jonathan’s lawyer, Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), had argued that her client was not a party to suit by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the basis of which the account was frozen.

    Dissatisfied with the order, EFCC filed an application for stay of execution and a notice of appeal.

    The two applications, according to EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, were dated April 6, and filed on April 7.

    Tuesday, Oyedepo informed Justice Olatoregun of the commission’s intention to discontinue the two applications.

    Adedipe confirmed the service of the application for withdrawal.

    He informed the court of his intention to withdraw contempt applications he filed against the bank.

    He said the Form 48 (notice of consequence of disobedience of court order) and Form 49 were  filed against the Skye Bank for failing to obey the order unfreezing Jonathan’s account.

    Justice Olatoregun granted the applications.

    She froze the account last year along with that of five companies and Esther Oba’s.

    The companies’ accounts were said to have balances amounting to N7.4billion; Oba’s was said to have $429,381.87 (about N131,712,634.09).

    Adedipe had urged the court to defreeze the account on the ground that his client was not a party to the suit.

    Citing judicial authorities, he contended that the suit was an abuse of court process as the court had no jurisdiction to make an order against a person that was not a party to a suit before it.

    EFCC, it was learnt, did not file any response to the application to discharge the order.

    Ruling, Justice Olatoregun upheld Adedipe’s submission and discharged the order freezing the account.

    She made an order directing EFCC and Skye Bank to immediately unfreeze the account because all the claims in the plaintiff’s affidavit were not challenged or controverted.

    The judge said although EFCC was served with the application to unfreeze the account, it filed no response to counter it.

    “It is trite in law that an order cannot be made against any person who is not a party before the court. It was not controverted that Dame Patience Jonathan is not a party in the order obtained in this court.

    “I hereby make an order unfreezing the Skye Bank account belonging to Dame patience Jonathan forthwith,” the judge said.

     

  • Patience Jonathan’s account: EFCC withdraws application for stay of execution

    Patience Jonathan’s account: EFCC withdraws application for stay of execution

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday withdrew a motion before a Federal High Court Lagos for stay of execution of a judgment which unfroze the account of a former first lady, Patience Jonathan.

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun had on April 6 unfreeze the account after Jonathan’s lawyer, Mr Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), challenged the propriety of EFCC’s action.

    He had challenged the commission for joining her in a suit, which he said, she was not a party to, and urged the court to unfreeze Jonathan’s account.

    Dissatisfied with the unfreezing order, EFCC had filed an application for a stay of execution of the order as well as a notice of appeal challenging the judgment.

    The two applications, according to EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, were dated April 6 and filed on April 7.

    At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, Oyedepo informed the court of his agency’s intention to withdraw the two applications.

    He did not give reasons for the withdrawal.

    Following the withdrawal of the applications, Adedipe confirmed service of the application for withdrawal on the defendants.

    He equally informed the court of his intention to withdraw Form 48 (notice of Committal to prison) and Form 49 (Committal to prison), which he said, was filed against Skye Bank in anticipation of a failure to obey the order of the court.

    After the submissions of both counsel, Olatoregun granted the withdrawal of both the EFCC’s two applications and Patience Jonathan’s Form 48 and Form 49 respectively.

    Olatoregun had in 2016 following the application of EFCC, ordered that the account of the former first lady which housed the sum of about 5.8 million dollars be frozen on the grounds that the money was suspected to be proceeds of a crime.

    Also affected by the order were five liability companies habouring a total sum of N7.4 billion.

    The five companies are Finchley Top Homes Ltd, Aribawa Aruera, Magel Resort Ltd, AM -PM Global Network Ltd, Pansy Oil and Gas Ltd .

    Also, affected was an account belonging to one Esther Oba having the sum of 429,000 dollars.

    The freezing order was sequel to a further and better affidavit in support of an ex-parte originating summons deposed to by Abdulahi Tukur, an investigating officer of the EFCC.

    Tukur had averred that there was urgent need for the court to direct the managers of the bank accounts contained in the schedule to in the interim forfeit the money contained to prevent further dissipation.

    While granting the freezing order, the judge had ordered the anti -graft agency to file an undertaking as to damages if it turned out that the order should not have been made. (NAN)

  • Patience Jonathan’s account: EFCC withdraws application for stay of execution

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday withdrew a motion before a Federal High Court Lagos for stay of execution of a judgment which unfroze the account of a former first lady, Patience Jonathan.

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun had on April 6 unfreeze the account after Jonathan’s lawyer, Mr Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), challenged the propriety of EFCC’s action.

    He had challenged the commission for joining her in a suit, which he said, she was not a party to, and urged the court to unfreeze Jonathan’s account.

    Dissatisfied with the unfreezing order, EFCC had filed an application for a stay of execution of the order as well as a notice of appeal challenging the judgment.

    The two applications, according to EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, were dated April 6 and filed on April 7.

    At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, Oyedepo informed the court of his agency’s intention to withdraw the two applications.

    He did not give reasons for the withdrawal.

    Following the withdrawal of the applications, Adedipe confirmed service of the application for withdrawal on the defendants.

    He equally informed the court of his intention to withdraw Form 48 (notice of Committal to prison) and Form 49 (Committal to prison), which he said, was filed against Skye Bank in anticipation of a failure to obey the order of the court.

    After the submissions of both counsel, Olatoregun granted the withdrawal of both the EFCC’s two applications and Patience Jonathan’s Form 48 and Form 49 respectively.

    Olatoregun had in 2016 following the application of EFCC, ordered that the account of the former first lady which housed the sum of about 5.8 million dollars be frozen on the grounds that the money was suspected to be proceeds of a crime.

    Also affected by the order were five liability companies habouring a total sum of N7.4 billion.

    The five companies are Finchley Top Homes Ltd, Aribawa Aruera, Magel Resort Ltd, AM -PM Global Network Ltd, Pansy Oil and Gas Ltd .

    Also, affected was an account belonging to one Esther Oba having the sum of 429,000 dollars.

    The freezing order was sequel to a further and better affidavit in support of an ex-parte originating summons deposed to by Abdulahi Tukur, an investigating officer of the EFCC.

    Tukur had averred that there was urgent need for the court to direct the managers of the bank accounts contained in the schedule to in the interim forfeit the money contained to prevent further dissipation.

    While granting the freezing order, the judge had ordered the anti -graft agency to file an undertaking as to damages if it turned out that the order should not have been made. (NAN)

  • Patience Jonathan’s $15.5m: Firms seek to overturn conviction

    Patience Jonathan’s $15.5m: Firms seek to overturn conviction

    THE four firms convicted for laundering $15.591 million allegedly belonging to former First Lady Patience Jonathan have urged the Court of Appeal in Lagos to overturn the verdict.
    The four men, who represented the companies – Friday Davis, Agbor Baro, Dioghowori Frederick and Taiwo Ebenezer – pleaded guilty to laundering the money when they were arraigned before Justice Babs Kuewumi of the Federal High Court in Lagos.
    But, the companies, through their counsel, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), said the identities of those who “purportedly” pleaded guilty on their behalf were “unverified”.
    According to the firms, the representatives did not present any evidence that they were duly appointed.
    The companies are: Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd, Seagate Property Development and Investment Co. Ltd, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Co. Ltd and Avalon Global Property Development Ltd.
    They were arraigned with a former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamo Dudafa, a lawyer, Amajuoyi Briggs and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku, who all pleaded not guilty.
    In the proposed eight-ground Notice of Cross-Appeal, Ozekhome said that Section 477 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 requires persons seeking to represent corporate entities to have a statement of their appointment as the recognised representatives.
    The firms said: “The persons purporting to be representing of the cross-appellants failed to produce such statement of appointment, which needed not to be under seal.
    “By virtue of Section 478 of the ACJA 2015, the Honourable Court ought to have entered a plea of ‘not guilty’ for the cross-appellants, rather than allow the unverified plea of ‘guilty’ by persons purporting to be representing the cross appellants”.
    Ozekhome noted that Briggs had vehemently opposed the guilty plea and urged Justice Kuewumi to change it to “not guilty” because of the joint charge and the doubt about the representatives’ authenticity.
    Among the grounds of appeal is that the trial judge erred in law when he failed to grant Briggs’ application seeking to set aside the plea of “guilty” by the representatives.
    Ozekhome said: “The proof of evidence as borne out by court’s records shows that the purported representatives had denied ever having anything to do with the cross-appellants (companies), who are corporate entities, in their extra-judicial statements, which were presented before court by the complainant.
    “The purported representatives of the cross appellant had also alleged that their signatures on the forms CAC 02 and Bank Mandate forms were forged.
    “The purported representatives of the cross-appellants, could not, on the face of incontrovertible facts, including their own extra-judicial statements, be taken as the authentic representatives of the cross-appellants to the extent of even pleading ‘guilty’  to a charge against the cross-appellants.”

  • Patience Jonathan: Firms seek to overturn money laundering conviction

    Patience Jonathan: Firms seek to overturn money laundering conviction

    Four companies which were convicted for laundering $15.591million allegedly belonging to wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, have urged the Court of Appeal in Lagos to overturn the verdict.

    Four men who represented the companies, Friday Davis, Agbor Baro, Dioghowori Frederick and Taiwo Ebenezer, pleaded guilty to laundering the money when they were arraigned before Justice Babs Kuewumi of the Federal High Court in Lagos.

    But, the companies, through their lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), said the identities of those who “purportedly” pleaded guilty on their behalf were “unverified.”

    According to the firms, the representatives did not present any evidence that they were duly appointed.

    The companies are Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited, Seagate Property Development And Investment Company Limited, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited and Avalon Global Property Development Limited.

    They were arraigned along with a former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to President Jonathan, Waripamo Dudafa, a lawyer Amajuoyi Briggs and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku, who all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    In the proposed eight-ground Notice of Cross-Appeal, Ozekhome said Section 477 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 requires persons seeking to represent corporate entities to have a statement of their appointment as the reongnised representatives.

    “The persons purporting to be representing the cross-appellants failed to produce such statement of appointment which needed not to be under seal.

    “By virtue of Section 478 of the ACJA 2015, the Honourable Court ought to have entered a plea of ‘not guilty’ for the cross-appellants, rather than allow the unverified plea of ‘guilty’ by persons purporting to be representing the cross appellants,” the firms said.

    Ozekhome recalled that Briggs had vehemently opposed the guilty plea and urged Justice Kuewumi to change it to “not guilty” because of the joint charge and the doubt about the representatives’ authenticity.

    Among the grounds of appeal is that the learned trial judge erred in law when he failed to grant Briggs’ application seeking to set aside the plea of “guilty” by the representatives.

     

  • Patience Jonathan’s $15.5m: ‘Companies pleaded guilty in error’

    Patience Jonathan’s $15.5m: ‘Companies pleaded guilty in error’

    Four firms, which pleaded guilty to laundering $15.591 million allegedly belonging to wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, have told the Court of Appeal in Lagos they did so in error.
    Mrs. Jonathan is praying the court to order the EFCC to defreeze the accounts to enable her access the money.
    The companies last September pleaded guilty to laundering the money when they were arraigned before Justice Babs Kuewumi.
    The companies were arraigned with a former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to President Jonathan, Waripamo Dudafa, a lawyer Amajuoyi Briggs and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku.
    They are: Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd, Transocean Property and Investment Company Ltd and Avalon Global Property Development Company.
    Briggs, who said he is the companies’ secretary, has appealed against their conviction.
    In a supporting affidavit to a motion filed at the Court of Appeal, a lawyer, Chimaobi Onuigbo from Mike Ozekhome Chambers, said the companies were not represented by a lawyer in court when they pleaded guilty.
    The appellant, through Ozekhome, is praying the appellate court for leave to file and serve a notice of intention to challenge Justice Kuewumi’s ruling convicting the companies.
    He said: “At the time the ruling of the lower court was entered, the fourth to seventh respondents were not represented by counsel.
    “Consequently, they erroneously pleaded guilty to the charges read to persons, who represented themselves to the court as directors of the fourth to seventh respondents/applicants.
    “The appeal is challenging the plea of ‘guilty’ entered in favour of the appellants, which he believes will occasion a miscarriage of justice if not reversed.
    “The fourth to seventh respondents/applicant are desirous of contending that the decision of the court below be varied in this appeal,” the appellant said.
    The deponent said the companies had just briefed the Mike Ozekhome Chambers to handle the appeal on their behalf.
    Onuigbo said the time provided by the Court of Appeal Rules for the filing of notice of intention to contest the decision of the court below under Order 9, Rule 1 of the Appeal Rules 2016 had lapsed, hence the need to obtain the court’s leave.
    “The leave for this Honourable Court is required for the filling and service out of time of this notice of intention to contend that the decision of the court below be varied, the period provided by the rules of this court having expired.
    “It is in the interest of justice to grant this application,” the deponent said.
    The companies also prayed the court for leave to cross-appeal the ruling in which they were convicted after pleading guilty.
    According to them, the guilty plea entered by the individuals “will occasion a grave miscarriage of justice if not reversed” and would amount to “a breach of their fundamental right to fair hearing”.
    The deponent said: “The cross-appellants/applicants are desirous of cross appealing in this appeal to be able to canvass their position for a fair hearing and just determination of this appeal.
    “The cross appellants have only just briefed the law firm of Mike Ozekhome’s Chambers to handle this cross-appeal on their behalf.”
    The companies were represented by Friday Davis, Agbor Baro, Dioghowori Frederick and Taiwo Ebenezer when they pleaded guilty.
    EFCC said the accused persons conspired on November 13, 2013 in Lagos to launder $15,591,700.
    It said the defendants “reasonably ought to have known that the funds form part of the proceeds of an unlawful act”.
    The alleged offence, EFCC said, was contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3).
    Mrs. Jonathan had sued EFCC and Skye Bank for the freezing of her accounts, demanding N200 million in damages.
    She said the funds in the accounts of the companies, which pleaded guilty, were hers.
    An aide, Sammie Somiari, who deposed to an affidavit on behalf of the former First Lady, claimed he helped Mrs. Jonathan open the accounts.
    He said Dudafa, on March 22, 2010, brought two Skye Bank officers, Bolodeoku and Dipo Oshodi, to meet Mrs. Jonathan at home, following which she authorised the accounts’ opening and was the sole signatory.
    He, however, added that after the five accounts were opened, Mrs. Jonathan discovered Dudafa opened only one of the accounts in her name. The other four were opened in the names of Dudafa’s companies.
    According to Somiari, Mrs. Jonathan had been operating the accounts after Oshodi promised to change the accounts’ names to hers.
    “Since 2010 up until 2014 and thereafter, the applicant (Mrs. Jonathan) had been using the cards on the said accounts and operating the said accounts without let or hindrance,” he said.
    Before the arraignment, defence counsel had objected to the charge on the basis that the individuals who claimed to represent the companies did not exhibit any authorisation letters.
    “EFCC could have picked them on the street. There has to be a letter in writing from the companies in line with Section 477 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act,” Dudafa’s lawyer Gbenga Oyewole said.