BREAKING: Court grants Patience Jonathan full access to $5.9m
Former First Lady Patience Jonathan has been granted full access to her Skye bank account - The court had unfrozen Mrs Jonathan Skye Bank account some weeks after it was frozen following EFCC’s discovery that $5.9m in the account was fraudulently acquired The EFCC’s counsel, however told the court the commission’s decision to withdraw its application seeking to stay the execution of a court order which unfroze Mrs Jonathan’s account The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday April 25 withdrew its application seeking to stay the execution of a court order which unfroze the Skye Bank account of the wife of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience with a balance of $5.9m.
The Punch reports that a counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, appeared before the Federal High Court in Lagos which on April 6 unfroze Patience’s account, stating that the commission had changed its mind about appealing the unfreezing order. Oyedepo equally told the presiding judge, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, that the commission was withdrawing its application seeking to stay the execution of the order. Former First Lady Patience Jonathan Responding, Patience’s lawyer, Mr Ifedayo Adedipe, confirmed being served with the EFCC’s application to withdraw its application for stay of proceedings. Adedipe said in view of the EFCC’s action, he would also withdraw the Form 48 and Form 49 he filed to cite Skye Bank for contempt of court for not allowing Patience access to her account in spite of the court order.
After hearing both parties out, Justice Olatoregun granted their prayers to withdraw their respective applications. With the development, Patience Jonathan now has unfettered access to her bank account. At the instance of the EFCC last year, Justice Olatoregun had made an interim order freezing multiple accounts linked with Patience. NAIJ.com previously reported that the management of Skye bank revealed why it didn't allow Mrs Jonathan's Skye withdraw from her account after it had been frozen by the court. The order was pursuant to an ex parte application by the anti-graft agency, wherein one of its operatives, Abdulahi Tukur, had told the judge that the funds retained in the said accounts were suspected proceeds of crime. Tukur had told the judge that intelligence report by the anti-graft agency necessitated that the accounts be investigated, adding that it would be in the interest of justice that the accounts be frozen. The coast is now clear for the former first lady of Nigeria, Mrs. Patience Ibifaka Jonathan, to access her account with Skye Bank Plc, where she housed $5. 842, 316. 66M.
The Punch reports that a counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, appeared before the Federal High Court in Lagos which on April 6 unfroze Patience’s account, stating that the commission had changed its mind about appealing the unfreezing order. Oyedepo equally told the presiding judge, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, that the commission was withdrawing its application seeking to stay the execution of the order. Former First Lady Patience Jonathan Responding, Patience’s lawyer, Mr Ifedayo Adedipe, confirmed being served with the EFCC’s application to withdraw its application for stay of proceedings. Adedipe said in view of the EFCC’s action, he would also withdraw the Form 48 and Form 49 he filed to cite Skye Bank for contempt of court for not allowing Patience access to her account in spite of the court order.
After hearing both parties out, Justice Olatoregun granted their prayers to withdraw their respective applications. With the development, Patience Jonathan now has unfettered access to her bank account. At the instance of the EFCC last year, Justice Olatoregun had made an interim order freezing multiple accounts linked with Patience. NAIJ.com previously reported that the management of Skye bank revealed why it didn't allow Mrs Jonathan's Skye withdraw from her account after it had been frozen by the court. The order was pursuant to an ex parte application by the anti-graft agency, wherein one of its operatives, Abdulahi Tukur, had told the judge that the funds retained in the said accounts were suspected proceeds of crime. Tukur had told the judge that intelligence report by the anti-graft agency necessitated that the accounts be investigated, adding that it would be in the interest of justice that the accounts be frozen. The coast is now clear for the former first lady of Nigeria, Mrs. Patience Ibifaka Jonathan, to access her account with Skye Bank Plc, where she housed $5. 842, 316. 66M.
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