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Supreme Court Affirms Interim Forfeiture Of N2.4bn Linked To Patience Jonathan

The Supreme Court has dismissed an application filed by wife of former president, Goodluck Jonathan – Patience, seeking to upturn the interim forfeiture order by a Federal High Court in Lagos placed on the sum of N2.4 billion linked to her.


EFCC Seeks Final Forfeiture Of $8.4m, N7.4bn Linked To Patience Jonathan
A file photo of Mrs Patience Jonathan
EFCC Seeks Final Forfeiture Of $8.4m, N7.4bn Linked To Patience Jonathan
A file photo of Mrs Patience Jonathan

 

The Supreme Court has dismissed an application filed by the wife of former president, Goodluck Jonathan – Patience, seeking to upturn the interim forfeiture order by a Federal High Court in Lagos placed on the sum of N2.4 billion linked to her.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the Ag. Head, Media and Publicity of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Tony Orilade.
The EFCC, had traced the said sum to her and alleged that it was proceeds of illegal activities.

According to the anti-graft agency, the N2.4 billion was surreptitiously kept in the bank account of La Wari Furniture and Baths Limited, domiciled with Eco Bank Plc.

Justice Mojisola Olaterogun had in 2017 ordered the interim forfeiture of the money, and held that anyone interested in it should appear before the court to show cause why it should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government.

Read Also: Supreme Court Affirms Interim Forfeiture Of Patience Jonathan’s $8.4m

Dissatisfied with the ruling, Patience had approached the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, seeking to upturn the ruling of the lower court.

However, ruling on the appeal on January 12, 2018, the appellate court, in a lead judgement read by Justice Mojeed Owoade, rather upheld the interim forfeiture order.

Not satisfied with the ruling of the appellate court, Patience, through her counsel, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), again filed an appeal challenging the ruling before the Supreme Court.

However, the five-man panel of Supreme Court justices have now again in a unanimous ruling, delivered on Friday, March 15, 2019, upheld the interim forfeiture order of the N2.4 billion.

It will be recalled that a five-man panel of Supreme Court justices, had on Friday, March 8, 2019, in a unanimous judgment, also dismissed Patience’s appeal against the interim forfeiture order of a Federal High Court, Lagos, for another $8.4 million traced to her by the EFCC and believed to be proceeds of illegal activities.