A Federal
High Court Lagos, on Wednesday fixed February13 to hear a suit by ex-first
lady, Patience Jonathan, against the EFCC seeking to unfreeze her account.
Also joined
in the suit are Skye Bank Plc, and a former Special Assistant to ex-President
Jonathan, Waripama-Owei Dudafa.
Others
include Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd, Seagate Property Development
and Investment Company Ltd, Transocean Property and Investment Company Ltd and
Globus Integrated Service Ltd.
Mrs.
Jonathan is demanding $200 million from the commission as damages for
infringing on her rights.
She also
prayed the court to issue an order discharging the freezing order, as well as
restrain the EFCC and its agents from further placing a freezing order on the
said accounts.
At the
resumed hearing of the case on Wednesday, Mrs. Jonathan’s lawyers, Ifedayo
Adedipe, sought an adjournment to enable him serve his client’s amended claims
on the companies.
He added
that other defendants had been served with copies of the processes, while they
have also served their counter-affidavits on the plaintiff.
In the
absence of any objection from the EFCC counsel, the matter was eventually
adjourned to February13 for further hearing.
In an
affidavit in support of Mrs. Jonathan’s suit and deposed to by one Sammie
Somiari, he said that on March 22, 2010, Mrs. Jonathan had opened five
different accounts with Skye Bank, with the aid of one Damola Bolodeoku and
Dipo Oshodi.
He averred
that the account mandate forms were duly completed and signed by her.
Mr. Somiari
stated that Mrs. Jonathan subsequently discovered that apart from one of the
accounts that bore her name, the other four accounts were opened in the name of
four companies which belonged to Mr. Dudafa.
He also
averred that she observed that the ATM cards of the said accounts were issued
in the names of the companies, adding that she complained to Mr. Dudafa, who
promised to effect the necessary changes.
He said Dipo
Oshodi (a Skye Bank official) also promised to effect the necessary changes.
According to
Mr. Somiari, Mrs. Jonathan is not a director, shareholder or participant in
these companies and the funds in the said accounts are solely owned and
operated by her.
“Dudafa does
not own any part of the funds in the said accounts.”
According to
the deponent, the Skye Bank official (Oshodi) did not affect the instructions
of the plaintiff to change the name of the said accounts to her name, in spite
of repeated request.
He averred
that notwithstanding the refusal of the bank to effect the necessary changes,
she had been using the said ATM cards without any interference.
The deponent
averred that sometimes in July, Mrs. Jonathan discovered that the ATM cards were
not functioning, and immediately contacted the bank which informed her that a
“No debit/freezing order’’ have been placed on the accounts.
He also
averred that on further enquiry, the bank informed her that the accounts were
frozen on the directive of EFCC as a result of ongoing investigation in
relation to Dudafa.
Mrs.
Jonathan, therefore, contends that she was never arrested or invited by EFCC
prior to the freezing order placed on the accounts, said to contain about $15
million.
She further
contends that the freezing order on her funds by the directive of EFCC without
an order of the court is unlawful and illegal.
Consequently,
Mrs. Jonathan is also seeking an order of court, directing the unfreezing of
her account forthwith.
She also
wants an order restraining the EFCC from taking further steps in relation to
the said accounts pending the determination of the suit.
Photo Credit:
Premium Times
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