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Tag: Patience Jonathan

  • EFCC moves to seize fresh N7.35bn from Patience Jonathan

    EFCC moves to seize fresh N7.35bn from Patience Jonathan

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday asked the Federal High Court in Lagos to order the temporary forfeiture $8,435,788.84 and N7.35bn suspected to belong to former First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan.

    The EFCC told Justice Mojisola Olatoregun that the funds which it believes emanated from Bayelsa State, were found in 15 bank accounts linked with the Mrs. Jonathan.

    The anti-graft agency’s counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, said the order would prevent the ex-first lady from dissipating them.

    According to the EFCC, the funds were moved from Bayelsa State’s coffers at a time Mrs. Jonathan served as permanent secretary.

    The Commission alleged that she gained access to the funds by fraudulently assuming the identity of one Esther Oba as the signatory to the said account.

    The EFCC’s claims were contained in an ex parte application filed by Oyedepo before Justice Olatoregun.

    However, the proceedings were interrupted by a train of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) led by Mr. Ifedayo Adedipe and Chief Mike Ozekhome, who challenged the court’s jurisdiction to entertain the ex parte application.

    The SANs told the judge that the funds which the EFCC seeks to seize were already subject of litigation.

  • Appeal Court upholds forfeiture of Patience Jonathan’s $5.7m

    Appeal Court upholds forfeiture of Patience Jonathan’s $5.7m

    The Court of Appeal in Lagos on Friday dismissed an appeal filed by wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, over the temporary forfeiture of her $5.7million.

    She had appealed against a ruling by the Federal High Court in Lagos which temporarily ordered the money’s forfeiture to the Federal Government.

    The Court of Appeal upheld the temporary forfeiture order made by Justice Mojisola Olatoregun on April 26 last year.

    She made the order based on an ex-parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) through its counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo.

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

    The Commission said the money also belongs to Mrs. Jonathan.

    The Court of Appeal similarly dismissed an appeal filed by La Wari Funiture and Baths.

    Through her lawyer, Chief Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), Mrs. Jonathan urged the court to declare Section 17 of Advance Fee Fraud Act unconstitutional for being in conflict with the Evidence Act and the 1999 Constitution.

    In a judgment delivered by Justice Mojeed Owoade, the appellate court held that the appeals lacked merit.

    It upheld Oyedepo’s arguments and resolved the issues against the appellant.

    The court upheld the constitutionality of Section 17 of the Advance Fee fraud Act, which empowers the EFCC to apply for the forfeiture of property reasonably suspected to be proceed of unlawful activity to the federal government.

     

  • Money laundering: EFCC urges court not to reverse firms’ guilty plea

    Money laundering: EFCC urges court not to reverse firms’ guilty plea

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has urged the Federal High Court in Lagos to refuse an application by four companies praying to reverse their guilty plea to laundering of $15,591,700.

    In its counter-affidavit signed by an investigating officer, Musbhau Yahaya, the Commission said the application was an abuse of court process and that the judge cannot be asked to overrule himself.

    The companies are praying for an order setting aside their conviction by Justice Babs Kuewumi on November 2, 2016 after they pleaded guilty through their representatives.

    According to them, their trial and conviction were done “in gross violation of their right to fair hearing.”

    The companies, in the application filed on their behalf by Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), said their conviction was a miscarriage of justice.

    EFCC, in the counter-affidavit, alleged that a former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to ex- President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamo Dudafa, allegedly got part of the money from former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki.

    EFCC said Dasuki withdrew the money from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and “handed it” over to Dudafa.

    The Commission said Dudafa laundered the money through the companies.

    He is currently being tried along with a lawyer, Amajuoyi Briggs and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku. They pleaded not guilty to money laundering charges.

    But, the four companies charged along with them pleaded guilty and were convicted.

    They are – Pluto Properties and Investment Company Limited, Seagate Property Development and Investment Limited, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited and Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited.

    Wife of former President Jonathan, Dame Patience, in a separate suit, is laying claims to the money.

     

  • Ex-First Lady Patience Jonathan’s $15.591m case for Jan 19

    Ex-First Lady Patience Jonathan’s $15.591m case for Jan 19

    THE Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday adjourned hearing of former First Lady Mrs. Patience Jonathan’s suit seeking to unfreeze her accounts till January 19

    The accounts are said to have $15.5 million in them.

    Justice Mohammed Idris adjourned to enable the former first lady’s lawyers to respond to an objection by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Mrs. Jonathan is praying the court to discharge a no debit order placed on the accounts.

    The judge on May 8 held that Mrs. Jonathan and other parties must give oral evidence on the money’s ownership.

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

    He directed them to file pleadings, which they did.

    The EFCC had urged the court not to unfreeze the accounts because the money was suspected to be “proceed of crime”.

    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 along with Dudafa, Briggs and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku, for allegedly laundering the money.

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

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

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

  • Dickson condoles with Patience Jonathan, family

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has said he received with shock the news of the demise of Engr. Lazarus Iwari Kalama Sokobe, the elder brother of the former First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan.
    Governor Dickson in a brief condolence message said he was deeply saddened by the loss of the former First Lady’s brother.
    “My deepest sympathies go out to you and your family on this great loss. I offer you and your family my thoughts and prayers at this time. May God comfort, strengthen and give you peace to bear the loss.” 
     
    Engr. Sokobe was interred on Saturday in Okrika, Rivers State.
  • Patience Jonathan’s $15.5m: Lawyers disagree over representation

    Patience Jonathan’s $15.5m: Lawyers disagree over representation

    There was a mild drama at the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday as two lawyers engaged in an argument over who to represent four firms that pleaded guilty to laundering $15.5million allegedly belonging to Patience Jonathan.

    The companies through their representatives pleaded guilty last September 15 and were convicted for laundering the money when they were arraigned in a criminal charge before Justice Babs Kuewumi.

    They admitted laundering the money allegedly belonging to wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Dame Patience.

    But the law firm of Mike Ozekhome Chambers filed an application on May 8 on the companies’ behalf seeking to set aside the guilty plea.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) has filed a counter affidavit opposing the application.

    The former first lady is also praying the court to unfreeze the accounts in a separate suit.

    The companies 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).

    EFCC arraigned them with a former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to President Jonathan, Waripamo Dudafa, a lawyer, Amajuoyi Briggs and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku.

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

    Beside the application filed by Ozekhome Chambers, another motion to set aside the guilty plea was filed by Briggs, who was the companies’ secretary, through his lawyer Ige Asemudara.

    Yesterday, Chima Onuigbo, who stood in for Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), said he was served with the prosecution’s counter affidavit on Tuesday.

    He sought an adjournment to enable the companies respond.

    Another lawyer, Luke Aghanenu, also appeared  for the companies.

    He claimed he was engaged by the companies’ representatives as their authentic counsel.

    According to him, he is the one who ought to speak on the companies’ behalf, not Onuigbo.

    But, Onuigbo said Mike Ozekhome Chambers was engaged by Briggs to represent the companies.

    He said Ozekhome had been appearing for the companies, saying he was surprised by the new counsel’s appearance.

    He described Aghanenu as an “interloper”, saying he should have filed a proper application.

    Resolving the issue after a long argument, Justice Kuewumi asked Aghanenu to file a formal notice of appearance as the companies’ representatives.

    Asemudara said he was also served with EFCC’s counter affidavit on Tuesday.

    Dudafa’s lawyer Gbenga Oyewole (SAN) said he was not served.

    “As long as we’re involved in this proceedings we are entitled to be served,” he said.

    EFCC’s lawyer Rotimi Oyedepo said since the application was challenging the validity of companies’ plea, it could be heard and judgment delivered at the end of the trial.

    This, he said, would be in line with Section 396 (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of 2015.

    “I apply that the trial should continue,” he said.

    But, Asemudara said his client was challenging the guilty plea and not the charge, so it should be taken first and ruling delivered before further proceedings.

    He said Oyedepo’s submission was misconceived, adding the case of the second defendant was “intricately connected” with the fourth to seventh defendants’ (the companies).

    He accused the prosecution of delaying the case, saying previous adjournments were at its instance.

    Urging the court to hear the application and deliver judgment, he added: “We don’t want our client to fear they were not given fair hearing.”

    Ruling, Justice Babs Kuewumi held that the application would be heard and determined before the prosecution witness continues with his evidence.

    “Section 396 (2) which says the delivery of the ruling shall be considered at the point of judgment does not apply to this type of application,” he said.

    The judge noted that EFCC’s late filing of its counter-affidavit necessitated the adjournment.

    Justice Kuewumi adjourned until December 12 for hearing of pending applications.

  • Patience Jonathan begs court to unfreeze accounts with N3.5b, $5.8m

    Patience Jonathan begs court to unfreeze accounts with N3.5b, $5.8m

    Wife of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience has asked a Federal High Court to lift the temporary freeze issued on 16 accounts allegedly held in banks by her and some firms linked to her.

    The accounts, said to contain $5.8million and N3.5 billion, are domicile in Zenith Skye, Eco, Fidelity, Stanbic IBTC and Diamond banks.

    Mrs. Jonathan’s request is contained in a motion she filed before the court, and in which she faulted the method adopted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in obtaining two ex-parte interim freezing orders on the accounts.

    She contended that the freezing orders have lapsed and should be vacated having been first made on May 30 this year and renewed on October 10.

    Mrs. Jonathan said the accounts were maintained by her, the Incorporated Trustees of her foundation -Ariwabai Aruera Reachout Foundation – and nine other companies in which she has interest.

    She argued that the orders of interim forfeiture made on May 30, 2017 including a subsequent one issued on October 10, 2017 have become spent and could no longer be extended, because the original order was obtained through an improper use of court process by the EFCC.

    She stated, in the motion filed by her lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) that the Federal High Court in Abuja, on May 30 , 2017 granted an ex-parte order in favour of the of the Federal Government against all the accounts own and operated by her and the companies

    She said the same FG later went before the Lagos division of the court, presided over by Justice C.M.A Olatoregun to obtain similar order on October 10 this year in respect of accounts held by her, Finchley Top Homes limited and Ariwabai Aruera Reachout Foundation.

    Mrs. Jonathan stated that prior to the grant of the ex -parte motion  by the court in Abuja the FGhad filed a similar application before Justice Olatoregun of Lagos division but failed to disclose the fact that it had obtained same reliefs in Lagos.

    She added that the owners of the money were never served with the interim order and that they became aware of it during a hearing of a petition she lodged at the National Assembly.

    When the case was called yesterday before Justice Binta Nyako, Osekhome urged the court to first, here his client’s motion before the one filed by the EFCC for the extension of the orders earlier made by the court.

    Lawyer to the EFCC, Richard Dauda also insisted that his application should take precedence.

    Justice Nyako however, adjourned to November 23.

  • Patience Jonathan’s N350m frozen

    Patience Jonathan’s N350m frozen

    The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday granted an order temporarily freezing N350 million allegedly traced to  former President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife Dame Patience.

    The money is in an account domiciled in Stanbic IBTC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said.

    Justice Hadiza Rabiu-Shagari granted the comission’s ex-parte application filed by its lawyer  Rotimi Oyedepo.

    The EFCC said the money was allegedly transferred to a company’s account when Mrs Jonathan served as a permanent secretary in Bayelsa State between 2012 and 2013.

    The commission alleged that the former First Lady “unlawfully enriched” herself with the money.

    In a supporting affidavit to the application, an investigating officer at the EFCC, Musbahu Yahaya, said the commission received “a cogent, direct and positive intelligence report” that a company, AM-PM Global Network Limited, was in possession of proceeds of unlawful act and retained it in an account.

    He said that between June 20, 2012 and November 15, 2013, the company fraudulently received N1,206,950,000 via its Diamond Bank account, numbered 0026718889.

    The EFCC said the money was “proceeds of unlawful enrichment derived by Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan, who was then a permanent secretary appointed by the Bayelsa State government.”

    According to the deponent, in a bid to dissipate the funds, the company opened an account numbered 0016971559 with Stanbic IBTC.

    He said: “Out of the alleged proceed of unlawful enrichment of Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan, the respondent transferred the total sum of N350 million from its account in Diamond Bank to the account sought to be attached (Stanbic IBTC) in a desperate bid to dissipate the funds.

    “We have traced the said N350 million to the respondent’s (AM-PM Global Network’s) account sought to be attached and the order of this court is needed to instruct the bank to attach the account to prevent the dissipation of the funds.

    “The respondent is making frantic effort to dissipate these funds,” the deponent said.

    The EFCC said that unless the application was urgently heard and determined, the company would tamper with the account.

    “It will serve the course of justice to grant this application,” the commission said.

    Deciding the application as prayed, Justice Hadiza granted “an order directing Manager of the Stanbic IBTC Bank to, in the interim, freeze the account pending the determination of the investigation and possible prosecution of this case.”

    The EFCC, however, did not state in the affidavit who owns the company.

    Two other judges of the court, Justice Mohammed Idris and Justice Mojisola Olatoregun-Ishola, had earlier frozen Mrs Jonathan’s accounts.

    Justice Idris freezed her accounts with $15.5 million. Mrs Jonathan is praying the court to unfreeze the accounts.

    The EFCC, however, urged the court not to unfreeze them because the money was suspected to be “proceed of crime”.

    Justice Olatoregun freezed Mrs Jonathan’s account with $5.7million. The EFCC is seeking permanent forfeiture of the money.

    The judge, on April 26, made an interim order forfeiting the money to the Federal Government.

    Justice Olatoregun also ordered the temporary 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 also belongs to Mrs Jonathan.

    Justice Olatoregun stayed proceedings pending the outcome of an appeal challenging the temporary forfeiture of the $5.7 million.

    Also yesterday, Justice Idris refused an application by a former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Dr Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, to travel abroad for medical treatment.

    Dudafa, through his lawyer Mr. Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), urged the court to order the release of his international passport to enable him travel abroad to treat spinal cord injury which he claimed to have sustained while in EFCC custody.

    But, Oyedepo urged the court not to grant the application on the grounds that the EFCC had written to a Lagos State government hospital to examine Dudafa’s health and to determine whether he could be treated in the country or abroad.

    Justice Idris faulted Dudafa’s application, saying that a motion of such nature ought to be backed by hard evidence that the problem cannot be treated in Nigeria.

    “I find it difficult to grant this application. I hereby dismissed it,” Justice Idris ruled.

     

     

  • Court freezes N350m allegedly traced to Patience Jonathan

    Court freezes N350m allegedly traced to Patience Jonathan

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday granted an order temporarily freezing N350million allegedly traced to wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience.

    The money is in an account domiciled in Stanbic IBTC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said.

    Justice Hadiza Rabiu-Shagari granted EFCC’s ex-parte application filed by its lawyer Mr Rotimi Oyedepo.

    The commission said the money was allegedly transferred to a company’s account while Mrs Jonathan was serving as a Permanent Secretary in Bayelsa State between 2012 and 2013.

    The commission alleged that the former first lady “unlawfully enriched” herself with the money.

    In a supporting affidavit to the application, an investigating officer at EFCC, Musbahu Yahaya, said the commission received “a cogent, direct and positive intelligence report” that a company, AM-PM Global Network Limited, was in possession of proceeds of the unlawful act and retained it in an account.

    He said, between June 20, 2012, and November 15, 2013, the company fraudulently received N1,206,950,000 via its Diamond Bank account, numbered 0026718889.

    EFCC said the money was “proceeds of unlawful enrichment derived by Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan who was then a Permanent Secretary appointed by the Bayelsa State Government.”

    According to the deponent, in a bid to dissipate the funds, the company opened an account numbered 0016971559 with Stanbic IBTC.

    “Out of the alleged proceed of unlawful enrichment of Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan, the respondent transferred the total sum of N350million from its account in Diamond Bank to the account sought to be attached (Stanbic IBTC) in a desperate bid to dissipate the funds.

    “We have traced the said N350million to the respondent’s (AM-PM Global Network’s) account sought to be attached and the order of this court is needed to instruct the bank to attach the account to prevent the dissipation of the funds.

    “The respondent is making frantic effort to dissipate these funds,” the deponent said.

    EFCC said unless the application was urgently heard and determined, the company would tamper with the account.

    “It will serve the course of justice to grant this application,” the commission said.

    Justice Hadiza decided the application as prayed.

    She granted “an order directing Manager of the Stanbic IBTC Bank to in the interim freeze the account pending the determination of the investigation and possible prosecution of this case.”

    EFCC, however, did not state in the affidavit who owns the company.

    Two other judges of the court, Justice Mohammed Idris and Justice Mojisola Olatoregun-Ishola, had earlier frozen Mrs Jonathan’s accounts.

    Justice Idris froze her accounts with $15.5million. Mrs Jonathan is praying the court to unfreeze the accounts.

    The EFCC, however, urged the court not to unfreeze them because the money was suspected to be “proceed of crime”.

    Justice Olatoregun froze Mrs Jonathan’s account $5.7million. EFCC is seeking permanent forfeiture of the money.

    The judge, on April 26, made an interim order forfeiting the money to the Federal Government.

    Justice Olatoregun also ordered the temporary 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 also belongs to Mrs Jonathan.

    Justice Olatoregun stayed proceedings pending the outcome of an appeal challenging the temporary forfeiture of the $5.7million.

    Also yesterday, Justice Idris refused an application by a former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Jonathan on Domestic Affairs Dr Waripamo-Owei Dudafa to travel abroad for medical treatment.

    Dudafa, through his lawyer Mr. Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), urged the court to order the release of his international passport to enable him travel abroad to treat spinal cord injury which he claimed to have sustained while in EFCC custody.

    But, Oyedepo urged the court not to grant the application on the grounds that the EFCC had written to a Lagos State government hospital to examine Dudafa’s health and to determine whether he could be treated in the country or abroad.

    Justice Idris faulted Dudafa’s application, saying that a motion of such nature ought to be backed by hard evidence that the problem cannot be treated in Nigeria.

    “I find it difficult to grant this application. I hereby dismissed it,” Justice Idris ruled.

  • Patience Jonathan ’s $15.591m case gets new date

    Patience Jonathan ’s $15.591m case gets new date

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday adjourned the hearing of Mrs Patience Jonathan ’s suit seeking to unfreeze her accounts till December 4.

    The accounts are said to have $15.5million in them.

    Justice Mohammed Idris adjourned to enable the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regularise its processes.

    The judge on May 8 held that Mrs Jonathan and other parties must give oral evidence on the money’s ownership.

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

    “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,” Justice Idris held.

    The EFCC had urged the court not to unfreeze the accounts because the money was suspected to be “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 along with Dudafa, Briggs and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku, for allegedly laundering the money.
    Unlike the companies, Dudafa, Briggs and Bolodeoku pleaded not guilty to the 17-count charge.

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

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