Court Grants EFCC Leave To File Additional Evidence Over Patience Jonathan’s $15.5m
Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) leave to file addiction evidence in a fundamental rights enforcement suit institute by former first lady, Patience Jonathan seeking to unfreeze her accounts with $15.5million.
The counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo had on Tuesday informed the court that based on the testimony of a former Special Assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Waripamo-Owei Dudafa the anti-graft agency would like to tender his extrajudicial statement and a statement of account belonging to Mrs. Jonathan.
Although all other lawyers in the case except that of Sky Bank Plc opposed the application, Justice Idris granted the order.
The former first lady in the suit is seeking to vacate a no debit order placed on her account containing $15.5 million at Skye bank Plc.
Mrs. Jonathan had named the EFCC, Skye Bank, Dudafa and four companies as respondents in the suit.
The companies are: Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd, Transocean Property and Investment Company Ltd and Globus Integrated Service Ltd.
Earlier while being cross-examine by Oyedepo, Dudafa had told the court that he was not aware that over five suitcases given to him by former President Jonathan’s Aide De Camp, Onne Adegbe, contained cash.
The former presidential aide also denied that the suitcases were 10 in number, but admitted they were more than five.
When Oyedepo asked Dudafa to confirm that Adegbe handed some bags from the President to him, Dudafa said: “It is part of my duties to receive gifts on behalf of the former President and his wife.”
When Oyedepo told him that the suitcases were 10, the witness said: “They were not 10. I think they were about five.”
Responding to a question, Dudafa said: “The bags were heavy, but I don’t know the contents.”
When it was suggested to him that the bags contained money, he said: “Nobody told me it was money.”
On how he came about the bags, he said: “The President called me and said the ADC would bring bags, and that I should keep them in his study downstairs. When the President returned, I handed the key to him.”
Dudafa said he received, “several of such bags” on the President’s behalf.
Oyedepo asked: “Will it surprise you to know that there was money in the bags?”
Dudafa responded: “I don’t know what were in the bags. The President is still alive. He can explain.”
Dudafa had earlier testified that Mrs. Jonathan maintained personal accounts in various financial institutions, and that she had such accounts before becoming First Lady.
He admitted instructing stewards in the State House to pay dollars into Mrs. Jonathan’s accounts.
Asked who gave the money to the stewards, he said: “Sometimes other presidential domestic aides hand over the money. At other times I relay such instructions as given.”
Justice Idris adjourned the case till May 2.