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Tag: Patience Jonathan

  • Ex-first lady Patience Jonathan sighted at Skyebank in Abuja

    Ex-first lady Patience Jonathan sighted at Skyebank in Abuja

    Former first Lady, Patience Jonathan was on Monday sighted at the Maitama branch of the Skye bank in Abuja.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this may not be unconnected with her  5.9 million dollars which was recently unfrozen by a court order.

    NAN also reported that the former first lady was at the bank until 4:05 p.m. when she departed but declined to speak to hordes of reporters who sought to know why she was at the bank.

    A source, however, told NAN that while at the bank, Jonathan briefly met an Executive Director of the bank.

    One of her aides, who declined to disclose his name, told newsmen that “everything was okay”.

    A Federal High Court in Lagos, on Thursday vacated its order which in 2016 froze the Skye Bank account of the ex-first lady.

    The account had a balance of 5.9 million dollars at the period.

    The Judge, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, set aside the ‘No-Debit Order’ which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission earlier placed on the account on allegations that the money found in it was a proceed of crime.

  • Court unfreezes one of Patience Jonathan’s accounts

    Court unfreezes one of Patience Jonathan’s accounts

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday de-freezed a bank account belonging to wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, with over $5,842,316.66 (about N1.7billion) lodged in it.

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun-Ishola froze the account last year along with that of five companies and one Esther Oba.

    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).

    Justice Olatoregun-Ishola defreezed the account based on an application filed and argued by Mrs. Jonathan’s lawyer, Mr. Adedayo Adedipe (SAN).

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

    Citing judicial authorities, Adedipe 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-Ishola upheld Adedipe’s submission and discharged the order freezing the account.

    She made an order directing EFCC and Skye Bank Plc to immediately defreeze 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 defreeze the account, it filed no response to counter it.

    She said, “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.”

     

  • Court orders EFCC to unfreeze Patience Jonathan’s $5.9m account

    Court orders EFCC to unfreeze Patience Jonathan’s $5.9m account

    A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Thursday directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to unfreeze the account of Patience Jonathan, wife of former President.

    It would be recalled that the Federal high court sitting in Lagos had in December last year ordered the freezing of multiple accounts by the EFCC, suspected to be owned by Dame Patience Jonathan and also suspected to be proceeds of crime.

    It was also gathered that one of the accounts in the former First Lady’s name contained the sum of $5,316.66.

    Details soon…

  • Patience Jonathan: Court to hear EFCC motion May 2

    Patience Jonathan: Court to hear EFCC motion May 2

    An FCT High Court in Lugbe has adjourned till May 2, hearing on a preliminary objection filed by the EFCC over the seized assets of former First Lady Patience Jonathan.

    At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, the judge, Justice Angela Otaluka adjourned the matter following the submission of the EFCC Counsel, Mrs O. Diribe, that there was a motion before the court.

    Diribe informed the court that the respondent, the EFCC had filed a preliminary objection to the suit in response to the earlier motion for enforcement of fundamental human right filed by the applicant.

    The applicant is an NGO, the International Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Society.

    According to Diribe, the applicant does not have any locus standi to file a suit on the matter, adding that the suit did not show any cause of action by the anti-corruption agency.

    The NGO’s counsel, Mr Gabriel Egbule, had earlier prayed the court for an adjournment to enable his team study the preliminary objection and respond to it since it was just served.

    According to Egbule, the basis for filling the suit is that the applicant believed that the former first lady is being unjustly prosecuted because of her political views.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NGO recently filed the suit on behalf of the former first lady.

    The NGO alleged in the suit number CV/1027/17, illegal intimidation and harassment of the former first lady.

    It is also seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the EFCC from further harassment and intimidation of the former first lady.

    It is also seeking the court to compel the EFCC to pay the sum of N5 billion as compensation for violation of the fundamental human rights of Jonathan.

    The NGO stated that the EFCC acted beyond its statutory powers when it embarked on the seizure of monies legitimately belonging to the former first lady.

     

  • Hearing stalled in Patience Jonathan’s $15.591m case

    Hearing stalled in Patience Jonathan’s $15.591m case

    Hearing in a suit filed by wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over her seized $15.591million was stalled on Monday due to an application filed by one of the respondents.

    Mrs. Jonathan is praying the Federal High Court in Lagos to order the EFCC to unfreeze her accounts to enable her access the money.

    The case was stalled as the EFCC refused to accept the service of a new application filed by Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), who was just briefed by the fourth and fifth respondents.

    EFCC, Skye Bank Plc, Jonathan’s former aide, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, 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 are the respondents.

    Ozekhome filed the fresh application in response to Skye Bank’s counter-affidavit.

    A banker, Mr. Amajuoyi Briggs, who deposed to the affidavit in support of the fresh application, said he had engaged Ozekhome to represent two of the companies.

    “The said Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) has accepted the engagement and will henceforth represent and defend the said 4th and 5th defendants herein,” Briggs said.

    The banker claimed that he was the company secretary to the two companies, adding that he was the one who incorporated them.

    “To the best of my knowledge, all through the period that I served as the companies’ secretary, up till the time that I was charged with the companies in charge number FHC/L/337/C/16, the companies did not engage in any profitable business during the period in question,” Briggs said.

    The EFCC lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, however, refused to accept the service of the new application from Ozekhome in court.

    He said the commission should be properly served.

    Hundreds of women again stormed the court in solidarity with Mrs. Jonathan.

    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 along 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.

    In a supporting affidavit to the suit, Mrs. Jonathan’s aide, Sammie Somiari, said Dudafa helped the former first lady to open the accounts.

     

  • Court adjourns Patience Jonathan’s case to April 24

    Court adjourns Patience Jonathan’s case to April 24

    •Ex-president’s wife sues EFCC for N2b

    Justice Saliu Saidu of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has fixed April 24 to hear a motion filed by former First Lady and former President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, in which she is seeking the enforcement of her fundamental human rights.
    At the sitting yesterday, counsel to Mrs. Jonathan, G. I. Abibo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), told the court that he had just been served with the counter-affidavit by the respondent, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
    Abibo said he needed time to reply.
    Counsel for EFCC Kayode Oni said he was served with the processes by the applicant’s counsel last week and also filed his response last week.
    Mrs. Jonathan, in her motion, is seeking a declaration that the freezing of her bank accounts and those of her relatives by the commission was a violation of her fundamental human rights to own property and to fair hearing.
    She alleged that the breaking into and ransacking of her family property by the commission’s officers while executing a search warrant was a violation of her fundamental human rights to private and family life.
    The applicant is also seeking a “declaration that the incessant harassments of the former first lady on the ground of her political views and for being the wife of a former president, who belongs to the opposition party, was a violation of her fundamental human rights to freedom.
    She sought N2 billion as damages for the alleged violation of her fundamental human rights by the commission.
    In its preliminary objection, the EFCC is seeking an order dismissing/striking out the suit by the applicant for want of jurisdiction for being speculative and for alleged abuse of court process.
    It stated that the court lacks the requisite jurisdiction to pry into and determine the suit as presently constituted as the action did not disclose any good, valid and or reasonable cause of action against the EFCC.
    It added that the applicant was never invited nor investigated in any way whatsoever by the Port Harcourt office of the EFCC.

  • Patience Jonathan’s N5.9b suit adjourned till March 6

    Patience Jonathan’s N5.9b suit adjourned till March 6

    Hundreds of women again stormed the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday for the hearing of a suit by wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and others.
    The suit, before Justice Mohammed Idris, is on the seizure of $15.591million (about N4.9billion) which she claims belongs to her.
    Skye Bank Plc, where the money is lodged, Jonathan’s former aide Waripamo-Owei Dudafa and four companies are the other respondents.
    The firms are: 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 .
    The companies, through their representatives, had pleaded guilty to laundering the money on September 15 when they were arraigned before Justice Babs Kuewumi of the same court.
    They were charged with Dudafa, a lawyer Amajuoyi 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.
    Mrs Jonathan is praying the court to unfreeze the accounts to enable her access her funds.
    Yesterday, her lawyer, Chief Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), said he had served all respondents with the suit. He said he was ready for hearing.
    But, Jeff Kadiri, who announced appearance for the companies, said he was holding the brief of Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN).
    As the other lawyers did not oppose the application, Justice Idris adjourned till March 6 for hearing.
    Hundred of women stormed the court, demanding that Mrs Jonathan’s account be de-freezed.
    A woman said Mrs Jonathan’s husband did well for Nigeria, adding that EFCC should let her be.

    “They said they’ll not prosecute Jonathan. If you touch the wife, have you not touched him? She’s a good woman who has trained and taken care of so many people. So, they should leave her money for her,” she asked.
    Asked if they were paid to stage the protest, the woman said: “No, I’m the one who paid for coming here. I’m the one doing the sponsoring.”
    The women said they were protesting because Mrs Jonathan’s account had been frozen for long and as a woman supporting many people she was adversely affected.
    In a supporting affidavit to the suit, Mrs Jonathan’s aide, Sammie Somiari, said Dudafa helped the former first lady to open the accounts.
    He said Dudafa, on March 22, 2010, brought two Skye Bank officers, Demola Bolodeoku and Dipo Oshodi, to meet Mrs Jonathan.
    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 opened in her name.
    He said the bankers promised to rectify the problem by changing the accounts to Mrs Jonathan’s name but never did.
    “However, 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,” the deponent said.
    EFCC is contending that the money is a proceed of crime and should be forfeited to the Federal Government.

  • Patience Jonathan: Court strikes out suit against SERAP

    Patience Jonathan: Court strikes out suit against SERAP

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun-Ishola of the Federal High Court in Lagos has struck out a suit by a group Union of Niger Delta Youth Organisation for Equity, Justice and Good Governance, against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

    She struck it after the group applied to discontinue the case on Tuesday.

    The judge awarded N25,000 cost against the plaintiff.

    SERAP’s lawyer Timothy Adewale described the case as “a complete waste of our time”.

    The group claimed it filed the suit on behalf of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife, Patience.

    The plaintiffs accused SERAP of using online, print and electronic media to publish unfounded and malicious allegations that she stole $15 million and ought to be prosecuted.

    SERAP had argued that the group was not registered and lacked the right to file the suit.

    The group prayed the court for “an order of interim injunction restraining SERAP from taking any further steps in vilification, condemnation and conviction of the former First Lady Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan, in all public media and in the use of the judicial process for that purpose by the extremely publicised pursuit of any application for the coercion of the Attorney General of the Federation to prosecute her for owning legitimate private property”.

    It said the campaign by SERAP was in breach of Mrs. Jonathan’s right as innocent until proved guilty under Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended).

    “The action by SERAP seeks to coerce the attorney-general of the federation to embark on a breach of the same right when the attorney general is in a better position than SERAP and the court to know whether or not there is any evidence of wrongdoing by Mrs. Jonathan.”

    Five companies, last September 15, pleaded guilty to laundering $15,591,700 (about N5 billion).

    They are: Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd (represented by Friday Davis), Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd (represented by Agbor Baro), Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Ltd (represented by Dioghowori Frederick) and Avalon Global Property Development Ltd (represented by Taiwo Ebenezer).

    Following their pleas, Rotimi prayed the court to order the forfeiture of the money to the Federal Government.

    Mrs. Jonathan claimed the funds in the companies’ accounts belonged to her.

    She also filed a suit seeking that the accounts be de-freezed.

  • Patience Jonathan’s case adjourned as protesters storm court

    Patience Jonathan’s case adjourned as protesters storm court

    Placard-bearing women again stormed the Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday for the hearing of a suit by the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and others.
    The suit, before Justice Mohammed Idris, is over the seizure of $15.591 (about N4.8billion) which she claims belongs to her.
    Skye Bank Plc, where the money is lodged, Jonathan’s former aide Waripamo-Owei Dudafa and four companies are the other respondents.
    The firms are 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.
    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 along with Dudafa, a lawyer Amajuoyi 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.
    Mrs Jonathan is praying the court to unfreeze the accounts to enable her access her funds.
    On Wednesday, her lawyer, Chief Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), sought for an adjournment to enable him serve the companies with an amended claim.
    He added that other defendants had been served and that they had responded with their counter-affidavits.
    In a supporting affidavit to the suit, Mrs Jonathan’s aide, Sammie Somiari, said Dudafa helped the former first lady to open the four banks accounts.
    He said Dudafa, on March 22, 2010, brought two Skye Bank officers, Demola Bolodeoku and Dipo Oshodi, to meet Mrs Jonathan at home to open five accounts.
    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 five accounts were opened, Mrs Jonathan later 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 opened in her name.
    The bankers were said to have promised to rectify the problem but never did.
    “However, 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,” the deponent said.
    Several women groups in different uniforms again stormed the court, bearing placards.
    The inscriptions on them read: “As you have frozen her account, you have also frozen the lives of millions of less privileged she helps;” “Injustice to one is injustice to all,” “Open her account because she’s not a criminal,” “Leave her alone, she is a woman of integrity”.
    Others read: “Mama Peace has always been independent,” “the freezing of Mama Peace’ account is a witch-hunt,” “Treat her as you treat other first ladies,” “Women say no to intimidation”, “EFCC don’t be misled, why do you want to probe her?” and “Is she not a Nigerian?”
    EFCC claimed that the frozen money was the proceed of crime and was allegedly laundered.
    Justice Idris adjourned till February 13 for hearing.
  • Drama as ‘rented’ crowd storm EFCC office for Patience Jonathan 

    Drama as ‘rented’ crowd storm EFCC office for Patience Jonathan 

    There was drama at the Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after scores of youths marched in protest against the ongoing investigation of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife, Dame Patience Jonathan.
    The crowd, christened Coalition of Yoruba Youths, ironically comprised shabbily dressed young men and women mostly from the North, who seemed to have been drafted in a hurry.
    They had two colourful banners bearing Mrs. Jonathan’s picture inscribed with, “EFCC stop jungle justice and stop media trial of Mama Peace”.
    They marched from the Obalende Bridge to the commission’s office chanting solidarity songs. Some of them laughed sheepishly.
    Interestingly, most of the protesters barely knew why they were marching and chanting, as they looked aloof with folded arms, discussing in clusters.
    During an aside interaction with some of the protesters, it was observed that they were not briefed on the reason for the protest.
    A young woman, Mojisola Abiodun, who claimed to be a student, said a friend of hers told her that they were going for a campaign.
    She said: “I don’t really know what it’s about. It was my friend who asked me to follow her for a campaign. We are campaigning for the woman on the banner. No, I wasn’t paid anything o!”
    The supposed spokesman for the protesters, David Idoko, was among those who displayed outright ignorance of their mission.
    Idoko, despite being the one who delivered the open petition written by the coalition on the “sinister plot by the EFCC to manufacture evidence against Dame Patience Jonathan…” to the commission’s Head of Economic Governance, Mohammed Isaraboh, could not answer question on his group’s interest on the matter.
    He said: “We need the EFCC to investigate thoroughly on Jonathan Patience. We need them to go into a nice investigation before dragging people to the mud.”
    Asked the relationship between the coalition and the ongoing investigation of Mrs. Jonathan, Idoko said “right now, I can’t say anything.”
    However, the 12-paragraph petition he delivered to the EFCC demanded a stop to the “brigandage” against Mrs. Jonathan.
    The petition, which was signed by one Prince Usman Oyekan, accused the Federal Government of “growing politics of intolerance, intimidation, coercion, persecution, media trial and harassment.”

    After receiving the petition, Isaraboh assured the youths that the commission would do due diligence, adding that the petition would also be forwarded to the head office in Abuja.