Dame Patience Jonathan, wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan has temporarily forfeited N1.0004 billion to the Federal Government, following a court order secured by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC). The money was lodged in three deposits with Fidelity Bank Plc on 20th and 25th May, 2015.
The forfeiture order by Federal High Court sitting in Kano and presided over by Justice A. Lewis-Allagoa is consequent upon a motion ex parte filed by the EFCC seeking for the interim forfeiture of the money.
The money was found in the account of Magel Resort Ltd, a company linked to the former First Lady.
The EFCC had gotten intelligence from a whistleblower that a bank account domiciled in Fidelity Bank, had a huge sum of money that was not being used by anybody. Upon receipt of the intelligence, the EFCC swung into action by conducting preliminary investigation, which revealed that Mrs. Jonathan and some relatives of former president, Goodluck Jonathan were directors of the Company. Others named as directors are Oba Tamunotonye, Goodluck Jonathan Aruera, Goodluck Jonathan Ariwabai and Esther Fynface.
In trying to trace the origin of the money, it was discovered that N500,000 was deposited on May 20, 2015 by Fynface, who is alleged to be in charge of the Company, while N1 billion was transferred in two tranches on the 25th May, 2015 from PAGMAT OIL AND GAS NIGERIA LIMITED, a company that was not incorporated with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
Justice A. Lewis-Allagoa held that: “An interim forfeiture order is granted to the Federal Government in the sum of N1,000,494,000 in the Bank account of the 1st respondent Magel Resort Ltd 4011019546 which is maintained with 2nd respondent Fidelity Bank Plc.” The court further ordered that the forfeited sum be deposited in the Treasury Single Account (YSA) of the Federal Government.
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