The application for the final forfeiture of the $5.78 million and ₦2.4 billion linked to former President Patience Jonathan’s wife will be heard by Justice TG Ringim of the federal high court on October 7, 2021.
On April 26th, 2017, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun ordered the money to be temporarily confiscated after the economic and criminal panel debated that the money was gained through deception.
A number of accounts linked to Patience Jonathan were frozen by the judge, including an Ecobank account registered under the name La Wari furniture and bath limited. On behalf of La Wari Furniture and bath limited, Patience fought attempts by her lawyers Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN) and Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) to get an order making the forfeiture permanent rather than temporary.
Back Story: ₦9.2 BILLION & $8.4 MILLION TO BE FORFEITED BY PATIENCE JONATHAN – EFCC
The two lawyers petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn the temporary seizure of the monies so that they may be used, but the court upheld the lower court’s decision. Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, however, departed from the bench in 2019 halfway through the proceedings over the forfeiture of the monies.
As a result of the new situation, the supreme court’s top judge was forced to reassign the case to justice Chuka Obiozor for hearing, but he was unable to do so because he had been sent to Benin. When the proceedings restarted, Justice Ringim was told by the EFCC Council, Rotimi Oyedepo on how far they had progressed with the case, and Patience’s council informed the judge that the case had been adjourned because it was new to him.
The company’s counsel, on the other hand, argued that the case should be further deferred because it had just reopened and he wanted to file an application contesting the proceedings’ constitutionality. He pleaded with the court to grant him a lengthy adjournment so that he could file the application.
In response to his plea, Oyedepo contested the application and asked the court to dismiss it, citing section 17 of the EFCC-compiled Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offenses Act, which exempted the motion of forfeiture from the final phase.
In a bench judgment, the judge stated that there is a protocol to be followed in this type of application that cannot be abbreviated and that the court cannot defer the case because an application has not been filed.
However, he said due to the nature of the application, the hearing which is still pending will be adjourned.
Justice Ringim further adjourned the matter till October 7, 2021.