The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has frozen Patience Jonathan’s personal account, titled ‘Patience Ibifaka Jonathan’, which is domiciled in Skye Bank Plc.

Impeccable sources within the agency told our correspondent on Wednesday that the move had become necessary due to the prima facie case established against the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife.

As part of investigations into alleged diversion against a former Special Adviser to ex-President Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Waripamowei Dudafa, the anti-graft agency had frozen four companies’ accounts in Skye Bank with a balance of $15,591,700.

However, before the EFCC could arraign the four companies in court, Jonathan’s wife deposed to an affidavit, claiming that the money belonged to her.

Despite Patience’s claims, however, the EFCC arraigned the four companies –Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited; Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Limited; Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited; and Globus Integrated Service Limited.

The companies pleaded guilty and the EFCC had already begun moves to ensure that the money is forfeited permanently to the Federal Government.

A detective at the EFCC told The PUNCH, “Recall that we had frozen the four companies’ accounts, which Patience Jonathan later laid claim to. We have been able to establish that the money was part of proceeds of crime.

“She had no evidence that the money in the four accounts belonged to her. All she had were platinum debit cards, which she was using to withdraw money and the cards are not evidence of ownership.

“Initially, we had traced $5m to her personal account, which we did not touch but I can confirm to you now that the $5m account, bearing Patience Jonathan’s name, has also been seized since she claimed that the monies in the company accounts and the one in her personal name all emanated from the same source.

“We are tracing other accounts belonging to Patience. It will interest you to know that despite all the letters she has written, she has never stated where she got the money from. She claimed to be a housewife and yet she has $20m.”

Patience had recently written a letter to the acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, where she claimed that she needed the money for her medical treatment abroad.

She had also sued Skye Bank for N200m, accusing the bank of freezing her accounts unjustly.

In a letter written by her lawyers, Granville Abibo (SAN) and Co, Patience said, “It is noteworthy to emphasise that the said accounts, which were in US dollar denomination, were card-based accounts and our client is the sole signatory of these accounts.

“The said bank officials also assured our client that they will change the account names accordingly and issue to our client new credit cards for the said accounts which was not done despite repeated demands.

“However, our client has been operating the said accounts using the cards for her medical bill payments and purchases for her private purposes without any let or hindrance.

“Our client was therefore surprised when the said cards stopped functioning on July 7, 2016 or thereabout. Our client immediately thereupon contacted Skye Bank Plc through our solicitors. It was only then that the bank officials informed our client that the said accounts were placed on a ‘No Debit Order’ following investigations and instructions from your commission and this is without notice to our client by either the bank or the commission.

“It is in the light of the foregoing that we urge you to use your good offices to vacate the ‘No Debit/Freezing Order’ placed on the said accounts.”

KINGMAKER001:
He that comes to equity must come with a clean hands...the fight against corruption is purely one sided,even the deaf and the blind knows this...and trust me when I say Nigerians are no longer interested in the fight against corruption...no good account has been given about most of the recovered looted funds, most of the looters that secretly return little from the loots weren't mention or charged or punished so as to serves as a deterrent to other intending looters...I'm not saying the former first lady shouldn't be punished if found guilty ,but the was against corruption should be fought holistically.... if not, then its just a gimmick

shamack:
Lol,,,,some ppl will say its WITCH hunting now

Jengem:
Leave peshe o
Stop trying to distract us from the ineptitude that is Buhari presidency
Buhari should probe his own salon housewife first so we know it is transparent

jelel6:
you fit feed dog. Fool.

KINGMAKER001:
He that comes to equity must come with a clean hands...the fight against corruption is purely one sided,even the deaf and the blind knows this...and trust me when I say Nigerians are no longer interested in the fight against corruption...no good account has been given about most of the recovered looted funds, most of the looters that secretly return little from the loots weren't mention or charged or punished so as to serves as a deterrent to other intending looters...I'm not saying the former first lady shouldn't be punished if found guilty ,but the was against corruption should be fought holistically.... if not, then its just a gimmick

idupaul:
What can I say she brought it upon herself ..The EFCC tried to shield her but in some strange ways she refused to shielded ...He who the God's want to destroy is first made mad

gbolakpine:
[s]The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has frozen a Skye Bank account belonging to former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan with a balance of $5m.

According to reports, the step was taken after Mrs. Jonathan confirmed that the money came from the same source as the four frozen company accounts.

A detective at the EFCC told Punch, “Recall that we had frozen the four companies’ accounts, which Patience Jonathan later laid claim to. We have been able to establish that the money was part of proceeds of crime.

“She had no evidence that the money in the four accounts belonged to her. All she had were platinum debit cards, which she was using to withdraw money and the cards are not evidence of ownership.

“Initially, we had traced $5m to her personal account, which we did not touch but I can confirm to you now that the $5m account, bearing Patience Jonathan’s name, has also been seized since she claimed that the monies in the company accounts and the one in her personal name all emanated from the same source.

“We are tracing other accounts belonging to Patience. It will interest you to know that despite all the letters she has written, she has never stated where she got the money from. She claimed to be a housewife and yet she has $20m.”

The EFCC had uncovered four company accounts with a balance of $15m domiciled with Skye Bank while investigating a former Special Adviser to ex-President Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Waripamowei Dudafa.

Patience Jonathan had laid claim to the accounts, stating that the money was for her medical bills.

The EFCC had also arraigned the four companies alongside Dudafa, a lawyer and a Skye Bank official for alleged money laundering which the companies pleaded guilty to.

http://www.kongegist.com/2016/09/money-laundering-efcc-freezes-patience-jonathans-personal-account[/s]/