Admin l Tuesday, April 25, 2017
IKOYI, Lagos, Nigeria – Former First Lady, Patience Ibifaka Jonathan now has unlimited access to her account at Skye Bank where she kept $5. 842, 316. 66 million USD.
Justice Mojisola Olatoregun had on April 6, 2017, unfreezed the account after Mrs. Jonathan’s lawyer, Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), challenged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for joining her in a suit that she was not a party, and urged the court to unfreezed his client’s account.
Not satisfied with the unfreezed order, the EFCC filed an application for stay of execution. At the resumed hearing today, EFCC lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, informed Justice Olatoregun of his agency’s intention to discontinue the two applications. He did not give any reason for the withdrawal.
Lawyer to Patience Jonathan, Chief Adedipe (SAN), confirmed the service of the application for withdrawal on the defendants and informed the court of his intention to withdraw Form 48 (notice of Committal to prison) and Form 49 (Committal to prison), whice he said was filed against the Skye Bank Plc, in anticipation that if it failed to obey the order unfreezing Jonathan’s account.
Upon the submissions of both counsels, Justice Olatoregun granted the withdrawal of both the EFCC’s two applications, and Patience Jonathan’s Form 48 and Form 49. Last year, Justice Olatoregun had ordered the account of the former First lady Dame Patience Jonathan with $5, 842, 316. 66 USD, domicile with Skye bank Plc, be frozen on the ground that, the money were alleged to be proceeds of crime.
Also affected by the said order are five limited companies that were having a total sums of N7, 418, 829, 290.94 billion, the five companies are: Finchley Top Homes Limited, Aribawa Aruera, Magel resort Limited, AM -PM Global network Limited, Pansy Oil and Gas Limited and an account belonging to one Esther Oba with sum of $429, 381. 87 USD.
