N9.2billion linked to the wife of the former President, Dame Patience
Jonathan.
Justice Mojisola Olaterogun held that she failed to show reasonable
cause why the funds should not be permanently forfeited.
The court found that the funds as claimed by the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC) was reasonably suspected to be proceeds of
crime pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related
Offences Act, 2006.
On April 20, 2018, the EFCC had secured an interim order for forfeiture
of the sums following a motion exparte it filed before the court.
It joined as respondents: Patience Jonathan, Globus Integrated Services
Ltd, Finchley Top Homes Limited, Am-Pm Global Network Limited, Pagmat
Oil and Gas Limited and Magel Resort Limited and Esther Oba.
On October 29, 2018, the EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, moved his motion
for final forfeiture of the sums, urging that same be finally forfeited
to the Federal Government.
Meanwhile, defence counsel, Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), Mike Ozekhome (SAN),
and Ige Asemudara, had respectively moved their processes in opposition
to the motion for final forfeiture.
On January 15, 2019, the court admitted electronic evidence presented by
the defence team which depicted video exhibits showing various business
outfits of Finchley Top Homes Ltd. and Magel Resort Limited.
The court had then adjourned for judgment.
In a judgment delivered on February 28, the court held that it found the
affidavit evidence conflicting, and same could only be resolved by oral
evidence of parties.
The court had then ordered parties to call their witnesses.
At the last adjourned date, an EFCC witness, Orji Chukwuma, had
concluded evidence before the court, while the court had adjourned till
today for continuation of evidence.