Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability
Project (SERAP) has given the Attorney-
General of the Federation and Minister of
Justice, Abubakar Malami, a 7 Day
ultimatum to prosecute former First lady,
Patience Jonathan over $15m found in the
accounts of four companies owned by her
which is currently under investigation for
fraud.
DailyTrust reports that the anti-corruption
agency in a letter dated September 13th and
signed by its executive director Adetokunbo
Mumuni, asked the Minister of Justice to
prosecute the former first lady within 7 days
of the receipt of its letter, failing which
SERAP will institute legal proceedings to
compel the discharge of constitutional duty
in this matter.” The letter in part reads
“Under article 20 of the convention,
this government has an obligation to
prosecute intentional illicit
enrichment, that is, a significant
increase in the assets of a public
official that he or she cannot
reasonably explain in relation to his or
her lawful income.
The fact that the
$15m found in the four accounts
belong to Mrs Jonathan raises serious
suspicion or at the very least a prima-
facie case of unexplained wealth/illicit
enrichment, and imposes an
obligation on Mrs Jonathan to explain
and justify the source(s) of the $15m.
In the event that she is not able to
justify, explain or put forth evidence
demonstrating the legitimate origin of
the $15m, SERAP urges you to take
immediate steps to forfeit the asset
under appropriate legal proceedings,
and to institute criminal prosecution
for unexplained wealth in the matter.
Similarly, section 44 of the Corrupt
Practices and other Related Offences
Act criminalises unexplained or illicit
wealth and allows criminal penalties
and forfeiture if in the course of an
investigation there are reasonable
grounds to believe that a corruption
offence has been committed, that is,
the failure to explain the origin of the
$15m given present or past
emoluments, and other relevant
circumstances.
Mrs Jonathan has
admitted that the four accounts
belong to her and that she is the sole
signatory to these accounts. The four
accounts in which Mrs Jonathan’s
$15m was lodged are said to belong
to the following 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. Mrs
Jonathan was given a platinum card
and exclusive access to the accounts.
According to reports, a houseboy, a
driver and other domestic workers of a
former Special Adviser on Domestic
Affairs to former President Goodluck
Jonathan, Waripamowei Dudafa, were
named as directors.”
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