The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday urged the Federal High Court in Lagos to order the final forfeiture of $5.7million and N2.4billion belonging to former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan.
It said the money is reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.
Moving an application for the final forfeiture, the EFCC’s lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, said Mrs Jonathan did not earn the money legitimately.
But, Mrs Jonathan, through her lawyer, Chief Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), said the money was not stolen.
Justice Mojisola Olatoregun on April 26, 2017 ordered the money’s temporary forfeiture based on an ex-parte application by the EFCC.
Mrs Jonathan appealed, but the Court of Appeal last January 12 upheld the temporary forfeiture.
The Supreme Court on March 15 affirmed the Court of Appeal judgment.
It directed the appellant to return to before Justice Olatoregun to show cause why the money should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
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In an affidavit in support of the ex-parte originating summons, an EFCC operative, Musbahu Yahaha Abubakar, said Mrs Jonathan opened a Skye Bank account on February 7, 2013.
“One Dudafa Waripamo Owei, who was the Senior Special Assistant to the former President, was one of the frequent depositors in the account.
“Another frequent cash depositor of funds reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities into the account is one Festus Iyoha, a steward at the State House, Abuja,” the deponent said.
Abubakar said between February 8, 2013 and January 30, 2015, $6,791,599.64 suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities was deposited into the account in cash.
He said Mrs Jonathan dissipated part of the funds, leaving a balance of $5,731,173.55.
“If this funds are not forfeited in the interim, the operator of the account, Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan, will fully dissipate it,” the investigator said.
The commission said the N2.4billion was found in an Ecobank Nigeria Ltd account numbered 2022000760 in the name of La Wari Furniture and Baths Ltd.
The EFCC said the “purported” signatory to the account was one Ada Ifegbu, with a telephone number belonging to one Esther Oba.