Firms convicted of laundering funds for Mrs Jonathan move to appeal

The case of four firms which were convicted over laundering $15.591 million said to belong to wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, has been appealed.

The four companies, Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited, Seagate Property Development and Investment Co. Limited, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Co. Limited and Avalon Global Property Development Limited, through their lawyer, Chief mike Ozekhome, is asking the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos to reverse the verdict.

Friday Davis, Agbor Baro, Dioghowori Frederick and Taiwo Ebenezer, had while representing the companies before Justice Babs Kuewumi of the Federal High Court in Lagos, pleaded guilty to laundering the money when they were arraigned.

The firms were arraigned along with a former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamo Dudafa, a lawyer, Amajuoyi Briggs and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku, who all pleaded not guilty.

However, the firms in their appeal argued that the said representatives did not present any evidence that they were duly appointed.

Ozekhome, in the notice of cross-appeal, filed on behalf of the firms contended that Section 477 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 requires persons seeking to represent corporate entities to have a statement of their appointment as the recognised representatives.

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He argued, “The persons purporting to be representing the cross-appellants failed to produce such statement of appointment which needed not to be under seal. By virtue of Section 478 of the ACJA 2015, the court ought to have entered a plea of ‘not guilty’ for the cross-appellants, rather than allow the unverified plea of ‘guilty’ by persons purporting to be representing the cross appellants.”

Counsel to the four firms further stated that Briggs had vehemently opposed the guilty plea. He therefore prayed Justice Kuewumi to change it to “not guilty” because of the joint charge and the doubt about the representatives’ authenticity.

“Among the grounds of appeal the learned trial judge erred in law when he failed to grant Briggs’ application seeking to set aside the plea of ‘guilty’ by the representatives,” Ozekhome contended.

 

 

 

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