A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday
refused to issue an order for the forfeiture of
$15.5million found in the accounts of four
companies currently being investigated for
fraud and money laundering and have been
linked to former first lady, Patience
Jonathan.
The Nation reports that at the resumed
hearing of the case against the directors of
the four companies, the presiding judge,
Justice Babs Kuewumi, convicted the
companies after a review of the facts of the
case by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFFC)'s lawyer, Mr Oyedepo
Rotimi.
The four companies namely Pluto Property
and Investment Company Ltd (represented by
Friday Davis), Seagate Property Development
and Investment Company Ltd (represented by
Agbor Baro), Trans Ocean Property and
Investment Company Ltd (represented by
Dioghowori Frederick) and Avalon Global
Property Development Ltd (represented by
Taiwo Ebenezer), had on September 15th,
pleaded guilty to laundering $15,591,700
(about N5billion) when they were arraigned.
Following the companies’ conviction, EFCC
counsel Rotimi prayed the court to order the
forfeiture of the money to the Federal
Government.
“Having found them guilty, the court should
make a consequential order that the money
should be forfeited to the Federal
Government,” he said.
Justice Kuewumi however refused this
request by EFCC, saying that the issue of the
ownership of the $15.5 million was still
pending. He said he would hand down a
sentence on the companies after the trial of
the other directors of the companies who
pleaded not guilty in the charge.
“The ownership issue is still pending. There’s
also a pending suit on the matter.”he said
Recall that Patience Jonathan had in
September claimed ownership of the said
money. According to her, the money was to
be used to settle her medical bills. The first
lady had also last month also claimed that
the money was gathered from gifts she
received from friends and well wishers in all
her years as the wife of a deputy governor,
governor, Vice President and then President.
The four companies were arraigned
alongside former Special Adviser on
Domestic Affairs to ex-President Goodluck
Jonathan, Waripamo Dudafa, a lawyer,
Amajuoyi Briggs and a banker, Adedamola
Bolodeoku. Dudafa, Briggs and Bolodeoku,
however, pleaded not guilty to the 17-count
charge.
While reviewing the facts in court yesterday,
EFCC counsel, Rotimi said the money was
stolen from the State House, Abuja.
“EFCC received an intelligence report
showing vividly that the fourth to seventh
defendants retained proceeds of crime. Our
investigations showed that Fetus Iyoha
admitted receiving the fund from the first
defendant. Iyoha is a domestic staff at the
State House. He admitted that funds credited
into the accounts were given to him from the
State House.”
Rotimi said Iyoha paid $3,096,377.38 into
Pluto’s account; paid $3,410,534.71 into
Seagate’s account, paid $3,765,711.87 into
Trans Oceans’ account, and paid $250,000
into Avalon Global’s accout.
The accounts of the Four companies are
domiciled in Skye Bank Plc. Justice
Kueuwumi admitted the accounts statements
in evidence. He also admitted their mandate
cards, certificates of incorporation and
statements made to EFCC by the companies’
representatives.
Justice Kuewumi adjourned until December
14 for trial.
0 comments: