Court fixes date for Patience Jonathan suit against EFCC, as women storm court

Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has fixed December 7 to hear the fundamental rights enforcement suit which former President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife, Patience filed against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Mrs Jonathan, who is challenging the freezing of her four bank accounts containing $15m, had sued EFCC and Skye Bank Plc in the court in Lagos.

The EFCC had on July 7, and September 22 frozen some bank accounts linked to a former Special Adviser to President Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa.

However, the story took a different shape and form when the former First Lady, Patience declared she was the owner of the accounts containing $15m and sued the EFCC and Skye Bank, challenging them to unfreeze the money.

For the firsttime, the case came up on Wednesday before Justice Babs Kuewumi, who granted and struck out the motion sought by Patience’s lawyer, Mr. Granville Abibo (SAN), that the earlier motion filed by the First Lady be terminated for the purpose of amending it.

He said he had filed and served a new motion on the defendants.

After the EFCC lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, said the suit was not ripe for hearing, Abibo prayed the court to restrain the commission from tinkering with the $15m in the frozen accounts until the case is determined.

Read also: We said it, ‘Buhari is clueless’ – PDP

Justice Kuewumi adjourned till December 7, 2016 for the hearing of the case after listening to the parties.

Meanwhile, it was not funny at the court premises as women numbering over 100 stormed the court compound carrying placards, chanting solidarity songs and demanding that the EFCC must as a matter of urgency unfreeze Mrs Patience Jonathan’s account.

“Ijaw people are in solidarity with Jonathan”, “Unfreeze ex-President Jonathan’s wife’s account”, “We urge EFCC to abide by the rule of law”, “Women must be heard,” was the Inscriptions on some of the placards they carried.

By Ebere Ndukwu …

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