Appeal Court Upholds Interim Forfeiture Of Patience Jonathan’s $5.8m, N2.4B

YAHAYA IBRAHIM

The Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal on Friday upheld the order of interim forfeiture of the sum of $5,842,316.66 and N2,421,953.78 traced to the accounts of a former First Lady of Nigeria,Patience Jonathan.

A Federal High Court in Lagos had in April 2017, granted the order that the $5.8 million domiciled in Skye Bank should be temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government on the ground that it was reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

The presiding judge, Mojisola Olatoregun had also granted an order of interim forfeiture of the sum of N2, 421, 953, 522.78 surreptitiously kept by Jonathan in an account number 202200760 domiciled with Eco Bank Plc in the name of La Wari Furniture and Baths Limited.

The order came following an ex-parte application filed before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

But not satisfied with the decision of the lower court, the former First Lady approached the appellate court, in a bid to set aside the ruling of Justice Olatoregun.

Mrs. Jonathan through her team of lawyers led by Mike Ozekhome (SAN), 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.

However, the appellate court of appeal presided over by Justice Mojeed A. Owoade upheld both the constitutionality of Section 17 and the order of the interim forfeiture of the various sums of money belonging to the former First Lady.

Alinnor Arinze

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