Court hears oral evidence in $8.4m forfeiture suit against Jonathan

A Federal High Court, Lagos, Friday, took oral evidence in a suit seeking final forfeiture of $8.4 million and N7.4 billion found in accounts linked to a former First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan.

An interim order for forfeiture of the sums had been granted by Justice Mojisola Olatoregun on April 20, 2018, following an ex-parte motion filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The commission moved to obtain final forfeiture of the sums to the Federal Government on October 29, 2018, but the defence team countered the motion.

On resumption of trial on Friday, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, called a witness, Chukwuma Orji, who deposed to some of the affidavits, and made adoptions before the court.

Mr Orji told the court that he was Head of EFCC task force in Lagos.

He said that he came across the account of Global Integrated Services Ltd, A. M P. M Global Network, Pagmat Oil and Gas Ltd, and Margel Resort Ltd, adding that he also came across an account name captured as Patience J.

The witness confirmed sums of money lodged into a First Bank account and also confirmed that the first respondent was a public officer, who worked with Bayelsa State Government, adding that he annexed documents to exhibit same.

He added that the said sums for final forfeiture are in dollars, whereas, the receipts of sale of proceeds were in naira.

When Orji was asked by first defence counsel if he knew that Mrs Jonathan had a pet programme known as Women for Change at the time, the witness replied that his investigations revealed that the programme was used to receive and conceal proceeds of crime.

The matter was adjourned until May

(QED.NG)