Several bank accounts connected or controlled by former first lady, Patience Jonathan will be frozen following an order by a Federal High Court in Lagos over criminal-related use.
According to Sahara reporters, the account contains $5,316.66.
Also affected were five companies and one Esther Oba that has a total balance of N7,418,829,290.94 .
The court’s order came following charges initiated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed by its lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo.
The monies in the various accounts are suspected to be proceeds of crime.
Justice Mojisola Olatoregun who is the presiding judge granted the order of the freezing of the account but warned that the anti-graft agency will pay damages if the accounts shouldn’t have been frozen.
Federal High Court orders freeze on Patience's account
A few months ago, the former first lady wrote to Ibrahim Magu, the acting chairman of the EFCC explained that the $31.4 million found in her account is for her medical expenses.
The former first lady had initially filed a suit against the anti-graft agency after another account linked to her was frozen.
The Guardian reports that the account is being fingered as one of those involved in an alleged fraud case before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos but Mrs Jonathan's counsel, Gboyega Oduwole has filed a case before the court, informing that his client is unhappy with the EFCC over the recent move to freeze the account.
Vanguard however reports that Patience has now changed tactic and wrote directly to the EFCC boss asking for the sanction on her account to be lifted.
In a letter through her lawyer, Sammie Somiari, the former first lady explained to Magu that she was a law-abiding citizen and used the account to pay for her medical bills and personal expenses.
“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 to these accounts.
“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 stop 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 instruction 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.”
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