The law case between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Dame Patience Jonathan is still on
The lawyer representing the former first lady says the money belongs to his client
He said no Nigerian government agency has come forward to claim ownership of the money
The lawyer representing former Nigerian first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, Mr Gbenga Oyewole told a Federal High Court yesterday, October 7, that the money his client is being harassed on by the EFCC was earned legitimately.
Mrs Patience Jonathan insists the money found in her account was legitimately earned
Oyewole who also represents Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, a former aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, also said no government agency had come forward to claim ownership of the $15.5 million.
“Neither the Federal Government nor any of its agencies; neither any state nor its agencies have claimed the fund as their own or that it was stolen from them,” Premium Times quoted Mr Oyewole as saying.
The money, which the EFCC had since frozen in four Skye Bank accounts, was opened in the name of four companies owned by the former first lady namely:
1. Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited
2. Seagate Property Development & Investment Co. Limited
3. Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited and
4. Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited.
The companies were arraigned alongside Mr Dudafa; Amajuoyi Briggs, a former presidential aide; and Adedamola Bolodeoku, a former Skye Bank official for money laundering, stealing, forgery, and conspiracy before Justice Babs Kuewunmi of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court.
Messrs Dudafa, Briggs, and Bolodeoku had all pleaded not guilty before the judge.
The EFCC had stumbled on the companies’ bank accounts in Skye Bank while investigating Dudafa.
The joint balance of the accounts, as of the time it was frozen, was said to be $15, 591,700. The companies have since pleaded guilty to money laundering before a Federal High Court in Lagos.
In a swift reaction, Mrs Jonathan accused the EFCC of hiring mercenaries as directors of the company in an attempt to steal her hard-earned money.
She has since filed a suit against the EFCC and Skye Bank, laying claims to the money.
Mr Oyewole said there was no document before the court to prove that the four people who had pleaded guilty on behalf of the companies were authorised to take the plea, adding that they had in their statement to the EFCC stated that they were neither directors of the companies nor had anything to do with the companies.
He also said in the face of Mrs. Jonathan’s claim over the money, allowing the guilty plea by the four companies and convicting them of money laundering charges would amount to “a gross abuse of the judicial process and an attack on the principle of fairness and justice.”
Mr Oyewole further said his client was afraid that the guilty plea entered by the four companies would adversely affect him since the proceedings were joint proceedings and the first count bordered on conspiracy.
Meanwhile, in his ruling, Justice Kuewumi dismissed the applications brought by Messrs Dudafa and Briggs, describing them as an abuse of court process.
According to him, Dudafa had already gone before the Court of Appeal to challenge the guilty plea entered by the four companies and, as a result, he could no longer take a decision on the issue.
“Once an issue is pending in the Court of Appeal, it will be inappropriate for a lower court to pronounce anything on the same issue.
“The instant application constitutes an abuse of court process; same is hereby dismissed,” Justice Kuewunmi said.
The judge adjourned till Wednesday, November 2, 2016 for the EFCC to open its case.
Meanwhile, as part of its investigations, the EFCC has summoned some officers of the Department of State Services (DSS), who were attached to Dame Patience Jonathan during her time as Nigeria’s first lady.
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