The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says it is heading to court to file an application seeking the total forfeiture of $15,591,700, belonging to former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.
The money is currently lodged in the Skye Bank account of four companies: Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited; Seagate Property Development & Investment Company Limited; Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited and Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited.

The EFCC had frozen the four accounts, which were linked to a former Special Adviser to the President on Domestic Affairs, Waripamowei Dudafa.

However, Jonathan’s wife had claimed in a sworn affidavit that the money in the four accounts belonged to her even though there is no paper evidence to establish a link between her and the companies.

She also urged the court to compel the EFCC to lift the restriction on the accounts.

The EFCC had arraigned the four companies on Thursday and the companies pleaded guilty to money laundering charges.

Punch quoted a senior EFCC official as saying that the commission would subsequently apply for the total forfeiture of the funds.

“The four companies, in whose accounts the monies were lodged, have pleaded guilty to money laundering. We are therefore filing an application, seeking the complete and total forfeiture of the money to the Federal Government.

“The $15,591,700 should go (be deposited in) into the Treasury Single Account of the Federal Government of Nigeria,” Punch quoted the EFCC source as saying.

On Thursday, the four accused companies pleaded guilty to conspiring with Dudafa; a lawyer, Amajuoyi Briggs; and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku, to launder the sum of $15, 591,700 on or about November 13, 2013.

The EFCC, while arraigning the seven accused persons before a Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday, admitted to the court that the $15.6m were proceeds of theft.

Though Dudafa, Briggs and Bolodeoku pleaded not guilty to the amended 15 counts pressed against them by the EFCC, the four companies, charged along with them, owned up to committing the offence.

The guilty plea was entered on behalf of Pluto, Seagate, Trans Ocean and Avalon by one Friday Davies, Agbo Baro, Bioghowri Frederick and Taiwo Ebenezer, respectively.

The EFCC had since frozen the $15.6m found in the four companies’ accounts with Skye Bank Plc by placing a ‘No Debit Order’ on the four accounts.

But Patience had filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit against the EFCC and the bank, claiming that the money, which the EFCC said were proceeds of theft, belonged to her.

Patience is also seeking damages against Skye Bank in the sum of N200m for what she termed a violation of her right to own personal property under Section 44 of the 1999 Constitution.

But Patience’s suit against the EFCC and Skye Bank has yet to be heard by any judge.

However, the EFCC arraigned Dudafa, Briggs, Bolodeoku and the four companies before Justice Babs Kuewumi on Thursday for money laundering and conspiring to retain proceeds of theft.

The EFCC also alleged that the seven accused persons conspired to forge Skye Bank mandate cards, purporting that they were signed by Friday Davies, Kola Fredrick, Taiwo Ebenezer and Agbo Baro, to prejudice Skye Bank in their bid to launder the $15.6m.

They were also accused of forging a Wema Bank Corporate Account mandate card, purporting that it was signed by Taiwo Ebenezer and Chima John to prejudice Wema Bank.

slyng:
That is the standard. It is non-negotiable.

dimieprincess:
Children of hatred just polluted this thread, hating a woman that had the first community bank in Rivers State in the 70s when Amaechi and his likes were still house boys or trekking from Boro Kiri to winpe junction

DrRasheed:

please receive sense...
building community Bank has now become a national achievement.
credit to sanusi lamido that allow privatisation of banks.

dimieprincess:
Children of hatred just polluted this thread, hating a woman that had the first community bank in Rivers State in the 70s when Amaechi and his likes were still house boys or trekking from Boro Kiri to winpe junction

Pavore9:


Patience Faka Jonathan born 25 October 1957, she earned her school certificate in 1976, and passed the West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE) in 1980......started her career as a teacher at the Stella Maris College, Port Harcourt and Sports Institute Isake. She then moved to the banking sector in 1997,

First community in Rivers State in the 70's? Bros you can cook up story!

Everyone has a right to acquire wealth legally but why use those companies as fronts?

Since the accounts do not reflect her personal details, the money before the law does not belong to her!

DrRasheed:

please receive sense...
building community Bank has now become a national achievement.
credit to sanusi lamido that allow privatisation of banks.

dimieprincess:

sorry 90. She built in 1997, thanks for pointing out that error. That won't take away the fact that she was made before her husband go into politics

Pavore9:


Made or not, what the presiding Judge will be concerned with is what EFCC and Patience's lawyers presents before him/her. Such sentiments has no place before the law!

Paperwhite:
But it's negotiatable with some sacred cows right? "All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others".Nigeria is really an animal republic.

dimieprincess:

So you know that before you and your co travellers are whipping unnecessary media trial. Nigeria, the only country were accused are tried on the pages of newspaper and sentenced as well while the accused walks free.

Shame, shame, shame!!! She is yet to be invited for interrogation, why?

dimieprincess:
Children of hatred just polluted this thread, hating a woman that had the first community bank in Rivers State in the 70s when Amaechi and his likes were still house boys or trekking from Boro Kiri to winpe junction

dimieprincess:

Take yo case to alfa because I can't cure you. When she owned the bank was Sanusi CBN governor?

Paperwhite:
How one wish the same swift approach the EFCC is using here was also used in the Aisha's Halliburton scandal,Amaechi's loot in the US/UK Bank,Buratai/Danbazzuo's cases & the highly controversial "budget of change" scandal.But trust the vindictive president,he only goes about sniffing corruption cases that concerns only his perceived enemies.That is why with this trend of selective justice, criminal prosecution have never produce any high profile conviction.Bunch of assholes.

DrRasheed:

hey did I say so ?
then he was the director of policy and strategy.

vedaxcool:
[s][/s]

Shame no gree you say the truth