Patience Jonathan Asks Court To Set Aside Order Of Forfeiture Of $5.8m, N3.5bn

Former first lady, Patience Jonathan has  asked the federal high court in Abuja to set aside the court order of may 30,2017 that froze her 16 separate bank accounts containing the sum of $5.8million united states dollars and n3.5 billion on the ground that it has expired.

Patience Jonathan also told the court that the orders of interim forfeiture, including a subsequent one issued on October 10, 2017  cannot be extended due to abuse of court process by the economic and financial crimes commission, (EFCC). 

The application was filed by the incorporated trustees of Ariwabai Aruera Reach out foundation, nine other companies and patience Jonathan who claimed were  the owners of the alleged sums.

Their counsel, Mike Ozekhome, argued that on may 30 , 2017, an exparte order was issued  in favour of  the federal government against all the respondents.

On October 10th the federal government again went to obtain another order made by justice Olatoregun of

The federal high court Lagos division freezing  the accounts belonging to Patience Jonathan, and the companies .

However, the respondents were never served with the court process. 

Counsel for the federal government, Richard Dauda urged the court to hear the application seeking to extend the interim order of forfeiture. But Ozekhome insisted that his application  came first and   it is challenging the order obtained by the federal government in error.

Justice Nyako adjourned the matter to Thursday next week for hearing.

Meanwhile, in a similar case  before Justice John Tsoho, Patience Jonathan asked the court to dismiss a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed against her by  the commission. 

The suit filed by her counsel, Ifedayo Adedipe is praying for an order for general damages in the sum of two billion naira  against the efcc.

While counsel for the EFCC in the suit Abdul denied the claim by Jonathan’s lawyer that the commission was not minding the pendency of the instant suit, filed and secured an exparte order for interim forfeiture of some property belonging to the former first lady. 

The suit was adjourned to December 8 for judgement.