EX-FIRST LADY, JONATHAN LOSES AT APPEAL COURT, $5.8 MILLOIN, N2.4 BILLION REMAIN FORFIETED TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ACCOUNT
Similarly, the judge also granted an order of interim forfeiture of N2.4 billion the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said was surreptitiously kept by the former first lady in an account number 202200760 domiciled with Eco Bank Plc in the name of La Wari Furniture and Baths Limited.
The EFCC had filed the application for the forfeiture of the monies to the Nigerian government.
An EFCC operative, Musbau Abubakar during the hearing deposed to an affidavit before the court stating that Mrs. Jonathan opened the Skye Bank account on February 7, 2013, and also told Justice Olatoregun that Mrs Jonathan made several United States Dollars cash deposits into the account through a former Special Assistant to former President Jonathan, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, and a State House steward, Festus Iyoha. The steward is facing trial over allegations of money laundering before a federal judge.
The judge had granted the prayers of the EFCC and directed the ex-first lady to show cause why the money should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government, but Mrs Jonathan’s lawyers, Mike Ozekhome and Ifedayo Adedipe, both Senior Advocates of Nigeria(SAN), approached the appellate court to set aside the order of the lower court.
The lawyers also urged the Court of Appeal to declare as unconstitutional the provisions of Sections 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006. It is recalled that, one of the appellate court judges in July last year recused himself from hearing the appeal for “personal reasons.”
