In Fresh Suit, Court Orders Forfeiture of Patience Jonathan’s $5.8million

The Federal High Court Lagos on Wednesday granted a fresh exparte application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)  for an order forfeiting the sum of $5.8 million belonging to former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan.

EFCC wants the sum forfeited to the Federal Government pending the determination of the motion on notice.

Justice Mojisola Olatoregun held: “Order is granted as prayed”

The new order was granted 24 hours after the EFCC withdrew an appeal for stay of the court’s judgment which had earlier unfrozen Jonathan’s account.

In December 2016, Olatoregun had ordered that the account be frozen, but on April  6, she directed that the account be unfrozen.

Subsequently, Jonathan tried to withdraw some money from the account, but she was not allowed to do so owing to a stay of execution application filed by the EFCC.

Though one of her lawyers later said she withdrew $100, 000.

On Tuesday, Rotimi Oyedepo, counsel to the EFCC, told the court that he was withdrawing the application.

He said the anti-graft agency had decided not appeal against the order unfreezing the account.

In return, Ifedayo Adedipe, counsel to Jonathan, withdrew a contempt application against Skye Bank, which had declined allowing the former first lady access to her account.

The judge then granted the requests for the withdrawal of the applications.