…As Witness Described Shagaya, Patience as Co- Conspirators

Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday, April 12, 2019, fixed May 9, 2019 to deliver judgment in an application for final forfeiture filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, of the sums of$8,435,788.84 (about N3 billion) and N9.2 billion (totalling about N12.2 billion), linked to Patience Jonathan, wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The court had, on April 19, 2018, ordered an interim forfeiture of the money, following an ex-parte application filed by the EFCC against Patience and some companies.

The companies named in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/620/18 are: Globus Integrated Service Limited, Finchley Top Homes Limited, AM-PM Global Network Limited, Pagmat Oil and Gas Limited and Magel Resort Limited.

The money was said to be warehoused in some banks, including Skye Bank Plc (now Polaris Bank Plc), Diamond Bank Plc, Stabic-IBTC and First Bank Plc.

At today’s proceedings, two prosecution witnesses, Orji Chukwuma and Oghare Ogbole, who are investigators with the EFCC, deposed and adopted the affidavit showing cause why the money forfeited in interim, should be finally forfeited to the Federal Government.

When asked by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, to explain the details of his investigations and findings into the alleged fraud, Chukwuma said the first respondent, Jonathan, was a public servant with the Bayelsa State Government and a Permanent Secretary between July 23, 2012, and October 2, 2014.

The witness also informed the court that investigations revealed that, even after the first respondent, Jonathan, had retired, she was still receiving salaries up until May 12, 2018.

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