A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the EFCC, to unfreeze the account of former first lady Patience Goodluck Jonathan. The account contains $5.9 million.

EFCC had called for an investigation into the accounts following claims that they were being used for money laundering and that the money found in them were proceeds of crime. The account was frozen in December last year.

Dame Patience Jonathan, wife of Nigeria’s immediate past president, Goodluck Jonathan is allegedly under pressure to run for the Rivers East senatorial election in 2019. This according to an exclusive report by Naij.com, was revealed by different sources in Rivers state.

One of the sources who spoke to the media house said that a team of politicians has already started mobilizing themselves for the task ahead.

His words:

”There is already a team on the ground working towards achieving this objective. Mummy (Mrs. Jonathan) is aware and has not told them to stop which means she is okay with the idea.

”The team has started reaching out to influential leaders in Rivers East senatorial district and beyond to ensure that their plans come to fruition.”

 
Another source speaking on the rumours confirmed the plans saying;

“The plan is on course. In fact, we have people joining us on a daily basis because many know this is a done deal.

“Mama Peace is no push over in Rivers politics and her entrance into the political fray will only boost the chances and image of the PDP.

”To be honest, she hasn’t said anything, but the pressure on her is enormous that I doubt if she will be able to reject it.”

Mrs. Jonathan, aka ‘Mama Peace’, has been deeply involved in Rivers State politics since the days of Rotimi Amaechi as governor but considering the ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against her, many people believe it may crumble any political ambition she could be nursing.

Nonetheless, when asked if the investigation won’t affect the chances of the former first lady the second source said that she is only being persecuted. ”The case has even made her more popular because we all know she is being victimized and the allegations by the EFCC are untrue”, he said.

Patience Jonathan, 59, is from Okirika in Rivers state and is eligible to contest for elections in the state as well as that of her husband; Bayelsa constitutionally.

 A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday refused to issue an order for the forfeiture of $15.5million found in the accounts of four companies currently being investigated for fraud and money laundering and have been linked to former first lady, Patience Jonathan. 

The Nation reports that at the resumed hearing of the case against the directors of the four companies, the presiding judge, Justice Babs Kuewumi, convicted the companies after a review of the facts of the case by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFFC)’s lawyer, Mr Oyedepo Rotimi.

The four companies namely Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd (represented by Friday Davis), Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd (represented by Agbor Baro), Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Ltd (represented by Dioghowori Frederick) and Avalon Global Property Development Ltd (represented by Taiwo Ebenezer), had on September 15th, pleaded guilty to laundering $15,591,700 (about N5billion) when they were arraigned.

Following the companies’ conviction, EFCC counsel Rotimi prayed the court to order the forfeiture of the money to the Federal Government.

“Having found them guilty, the court should make a consequential order that the money should be forfeited to the Federal Government,” he said.

Justice Kuewumi however refused this request by EFCC, saying that the issue of the ownership of the $15.5 million was still pending. He said he would hand down a sentence on the companies after the trial of the other directors of the companies who pleaded not guilty in the charge.

“The ownership issue is still pending. There’s also a pending suit on the matter.”he said

Recall that Patience Jonathan had in September claimed ownership of the said money. According to her, the money was to be used to settle her medical bills. The first lady had also last month also claimed that the money was gathered from gifts she received from friends and well wishers in all her years as the wife of a deputy governor, governor, Vice President and then President.

The four companies were arraigned alongside former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamo Dudafa, a lawyer, Amajuoyi Briggs and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku. Dudafa, Briggs and Bolodeoku, however, pleaded not guilty to the 17-count charge.

While reviewing the facts in court yesterday, EFCC counsel, Rotimi said the money was stolen from the State House, Abuja.

“EFCC received an intelligence report showing vividly that the fourth to seventh defendants retained proceeds of crime. Our investigations showed that Fetus Iyoha admitted receiving the fund from the first defendant. Iyoha is a domestic staff at the State House. He admitted that funds credited into the accounts were given to him from the State House.”

Rotimi said Iyoha paid $3,096,377.38 into Pluto’s account; paid $3,410,534.71 into Seagate’s account, paid $3,765,711.87 into Trans Oceans’ account, and paid $250,000 into Avalon Global’s accout.

The accounts of the Four companies are domiciled in Skye Bank Plc. Justice Kueuwumi admitted the accounts statements in evidence. He also admitted their mandate cards, certificates of incorporation and statements made to EFCC by the companies’ representatives.

Justice Kuewumi adjourned until December 14 for trial.