JUST IN: Supreme Court Orders interim forfeiture of Patience Jonathan’s $8.4m

On Friday, the Supreme Court ordered of interim forfeiture made by the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court in respect of $8.4m linked to the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Mrs. Patience Jonathan.

The apex court led by Justice Dattijo Muhammad, in a unanimous judgment, dismissed the ex-First Lady’s appeal and instructed her to return to the Federal High Court to show cause why the funds should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

Justice Kumai Aka’ahs, in the lead judgment of the apex court on Friday, held, “I do not find any reason to interfere with the decision of the lower court.”

Justice Aka’ahs aalso added, “Appellant is to go back to the trial court (the Federal High Court) to show cause why the interim order should not be made permanent.”

The lead judgment was read on behalf of Justice Aka’ahs by Justice Ejembi Eko, also a member of the panel.

The five man panel consisted of  Justices Muhammad, John Okoro, Eko, and Sidi Bage, agreed with Justice Aka’ahs’ lead judgment.

Last year the EFCC, approached the Federal High Court in Lagos with an ex parte application seeking the forfeiture of the sum of $8,435,788.84 and other various sums in various bank accounts linked to the wife of the former president.

Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of the Federal High Court in Lagos had, on April 20, 2018 granted the ex parte order.

She also ordered the EFCC to publish the court’s order in any major national newspaper to enable the respondents or anyone interested in the funds to appear before the court to show cause within 14 days why the final order of forfeiture of the said funds should not be made in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

 

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