Patience Jonathan

By Akin Kuponiyi

A Federal high court in Lagos, Nigeria has ordered that the account of the former First lady Dame Patience Jonathan, containing the sum of $5,316.66 domiciled with Skye bank should be frozen on the ground that, the money is suspected to be proceeds of crime.

Also affected by the said order are five companies and one Esther Oba who were having a total sums of N7. 4 billion for the five companies and $429,381.87 for Esther Oba in six different commercial banks.

The order of the court was sequel to a further and better affidavit in support of Ex-parte originating summons sworn to by Abdulahi Tukur, an investigating officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and filed before the court by EFCC prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo Iseoluwa. Mr Tukur averred that there is urgent need for the court to direct the managers of the bank accounts contained in the schedule filed with the summons FHC/L/CS/1343/16 to in the interim, forfeit the money contained therein to prevent further tampering with the account being sought to be attached.

Dame Patience Jonathan’s money in Skye bank account number 2110001712 with current balance of $5,842,316.66 is reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime. Five companies Finchley Top Homes Limited, Aribawa Aruera, Magel resort Limited, AM -PM Global network Limited Pansy Oil and Gas Limited and Esther Oba are also affected

Finchley Top Homes Limited fraudulently opened account number 1102001996 domiciled with ECOBANK PLC with a current balance of N226,376,700.23 and a fixed deposit with balance of N1,099,511,484.88.

Finchley Top Homes Limited also fraudulently opened the following accounts, 1771731336 domiciled with SKYE bank PLC with current balance of N14,173,848.85,
4011019539 domiciled with Fidelity bank Plc with current balance of N1,800,494,000.00

0016901361 domiciled with Stanbic bank Plc with current balance of N40,594,12.88

0019213687 domiciled with Diamond bank Plc with current balance of N39,418,712.12

Another Limited liability company affected by the order of the court is Aribawa Aruera Reachout Foundation which opened account number 1222014221 domiciled with ECOBANK bank Plc with closing balance of N479,893,431.01

Others are, Magel resort limited with account number 4011019546/5250059782 domiciled with Fidelity bank Plc with current balance of N1,000,494,000.

There were other two accounts opened by Magel Resort Limited, 1011744356 domiciled with Zenith bank Plc with balance of N858,923,982.00 and 0024351590 domiciled with Diamond bank Plc with balance of N174,166,207.00.

AM-PM Global Network Limited opened account number 0026718889 domiciled with Diamond bank Plc with balance of N7,213,303.50

Pagmat oil and Gas Limited open account number 4011019577 with Fidelity bank with current balance of N1,809,666,494.68 and account number 0026838491 with Diamond bank Plc with balance of N55,930,024.50.

Esther Oba opened account number 0019213689 with Diamond Skye bank Plc with current balance of $429,381.87

All the monies were suspected to be proceeds of crime.

Consequently upon the receipt of intelligent report EFCC analyzed it and found it to be worthy of investigation. Therefore, Mr Tukur averred that it will serve the course of Justice to grant this application.

The presiding judge, Mojisola Olatoregun granting the order freezing the accounts.

The author of this story Mr Akin kuponiyi can be reached at [email protected]