By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, Nigeria, on Monday, took oral evidences from four witnesses called by the defence in a suit seeking final forfeiture of about $8.4 million, and N7.4billion found in accounts linked to a former first Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had secured an interim order for forefeiture of the sums on April 20, 2018, before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, following a motion exparte it filed.
Joined as respondents in the suit are: Patience Jonathan, Globus Integrated Services Ltd, Finchley Top Homes Ltd., Am-Pm Global Network Ltd, Pagmat Oil and Gas Ltd, Magel Resort Ltd and Esther Oba.
On October 29, 2018, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, had moved his motion for final forfeiture of the sums, urging that same be finally forfeited to the Federal Government.
But defence counsel, Messrs Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), Mike Ozekhome (SAN), and Ige Asemudara had respectively moved their processes opposing the motion for final forfeiture.
On January 15, the court had admitted electronic evidences presented by respondent counsel, which depicted video exhibits showing various business outfits of the third and sixth respondents
The court had then adjourned until February 28, for judgment.
On February 28, the judge had first dismissed an application by counsel to the respondents, seeking to set aside the interim forfeiture orders made on April 20, 2018.
While, giving its ratio on the motion for final forfeiture, the court held that it finds the affidavit evidences conflicting, adding that same can only be resolved if the parties concerned are called upon to give oral evidences.
At the last hearing date, EFCC counsel (Oyedepo) called one witness, Chukwuma Orji, who deposed to some of the affidavits, and he made adoptions before the court.
Referring to his role in the course of investigation into the case, Orji told the court that he was Head of EFCC task force in Lagos, and named some of his team members as Ogare Ogbore, Idris Adamu. Abdullahi Tukur, Shehu, among others.
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.
Orji also adopted an affidavit deposed to by one of the team members, (Ogare Ogbore), and an objection by defence counsel was overruled by the court.
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 the Bayelsa State government, adding that he annexed documents to exhibit same.
He confirmed that the monies sought to be forfeited by the EFCC, are in dollars, whereas, the receipts of sale of proceeds were in Naira.
According to him, the money being transferred by Bola Shagaya were in dollars and converted to naira, which emanated from Aso rock, adding that same was from unlawful acrivities of first respondent.
After cross examination of the witness by the first to seventh defence lawyers, Justice Olatoregun adjourned the matter to May 9 and 13 for continuation of hearing of affidavit evidence.
However, the matter could not go on last Friday May 9 due absence of EFCC prosecutor,Oyedepo who was at Appeal Court Lagos for another case.
At the resumed hearing of the matter on Monday May 13, the second witness Chief Mrs Kate Onyechere told the court that former first Lady Dame Patience Jonathan is the founder and chairperson of an NGO known as Women for Change Initiative.
The witness who said she is the Southwest co-ordinator and PRO of the organisation further said that Dame Patience Jonathan(first respondent) is a sole signatory to the account of Women for Change.
Mrs Onyechere said that because of the rampant fraud in the country, and the executives of the organisation trusting its founder and chairperson, agreed that she be the sole signatory to the account of the organisation, adding that a memo was raised to that effect.
The witness told the court that Women for Change is a registered organisation, adding that it has a constitution.
When asked to tell the court the functions of the organisation, the witness said that the main objective is empowerment of women in the whole 36 States of the federation.
“We Nigerian women stand and know their rights. We build cottage houses for the women who have no good shelter, especially the widows.”
