THE Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday ordered the final forfeiture of N12.2 billion belonging to former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan to the Federal Government.
Justice Mojisola Olatoregun ruled on an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), that prayed the court to order the forfeiture of $8.4 million (about N3.030 billion) and N9.2 billion found in her companies’ accounts.
Justice Olatoregun agreed with the EFCC that the money was reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.
She held that the respondents could not show cause as to why the funds should not be permanently forfeited to the government.
The Justice had on April 20 ordered the funds’ temporary forfeiture and subsequently directed parties to give oral evidence to explain the monies’ source.
Mrs. Jonathan, Globus Integrated Services Ltd, Finchley Top Homes Ltd., Am-Pm Global Network Ltd, Pagmat Oil and Gas Ltd, Magel Resort Ltd and Oba were the respondents.
Details of the forfeited sums showed N1.085 billion and N226.3 million found in Finchley’s Ecobank were account and N39.4 million in its Diamond Bank account, as well as N55.9 million found in Pagmat Oil and Gas’ Diamond Bank account.
Also forfeited is $429,381.87 (about N154.9 million) found in Mrs Jonathan’s sister Esther Oba’s Skye Bank account numbered 211000170, which EFCC said is suspected to be “proceeds of unlawful activity.”
