$31.4m is for my medical bills- Patience Jonathan writes EFCC boss
Wed Sep 14, 2016 11:36:am National
3.6K By Buchi Obichie
Former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has written a letter to the
Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,
Ibrahim Magu, explaining that the $31.4 million connected to the
financial fraud charges leveled against Mr. Waripamo Dudafa by the
commission, was for the payment of the medical bills she incurred in
London in 2013.
The monies which were found lodged in various Skye Bank accounts now claimed by the former First Lady, have been placed on a No Debit Order as investigations proceed into the financial affairs of Mr. Waripamo Dudafa, who served as Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Patience Jonathan claimed ownership of the $31.4 million in the affidavit before a Federal High Court in Lagos.
In the affidavit by Sammie Somiari a legal practitioner on behalf of Patience Jonathan claims that it was Dudafa who helped Mrs Patience Jonathan to open the four bank accounts which the EFCC froze.
This made the EFCC to file an amended 17-count against Dudafa and seven others, including the four companies, with the defendants being accused of conspiring to conceal the monies which the EFCC claimed they ought to have known formed parts of the proceeds of an unlawful act.
In her letter to Magu which was drafted by her lawyers, Granville Abibo (SAN) and Co, Mrs. Jonathan enjoined the EFCC and Skye Bank to lift the restriction placed on the accounts.
In the letter Patience Jonathan admitted that the she is the sole signatory to the card-based accounts.
She stated further, that she is a law-abiding citizen who had been using the accounts to pay for her medical bill and other personal purposes.
"It is noteworthy to emphasise that the said accounts, which were in US dollar denomination, were card-based accounts and our client is the sole signatory to these accounts.
"Our client has been operating the said accounts using the cards for her medical bill payments and purchases for her private purposes without any let or hindrance.
"Our client was therefore surprised when the said cards stop functioning on July 7, 2016, or thereabout. Our client immediately, thereupon, contacted Skye Bank Plc through our solicitors.
It was only then that the bank officials informed our client that the said accounts were placed on a No Debit Order' following investigations and instruction from your commission and this is without notice to our client by either the bank or the commission.
"It is in the light of the foregoing that we urge you to use your good offices to vacate the No Debit/Freezing Order' placed on the said accounts."
"Despite the foregoing, our client, who is a law-abiding citizen, has watched with surprise how efforts are being made surreptitiously to indirectly harass or harangue her and short-change her of her personal funds in breach of her fundamental human rights.
"We urge you sir, to kindly intervene to stop the untoward and wrongful actions of your officials to embarrass, inconvenience and short-change our client."
Madam Patience Jonathan, on 17 February 2013, had said she died and woke up after seven days during her illness which lasted for almost three months.
The monies which were found lodged in various Skye Bank accounts now claimed by the former First Lady, have been placed on a No Debit Order as investigations proceed into the financial affairs of Mr. Waripamo Dudafa, who served as Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Patience Jonathan claimed ownership of the $31.4 million in the affidavit before a Federal High Court in Lagos.
In the affidavit by Sammie Somiari a legal practitioner on behalf of Patience Jonathan claims that it was Dudafa who helped Mrs Patience Jonathan to open the four bank accounts which the EFCC froze.
This made the EFCC to file an amended 17-count against Dudafa and seven others, including the four companies, with the defendants being accused of conspiring to conceal the monies which the EFCC claimed they ought to have known formed parts of the proceeds of an unlawful act.
In her letter to Magu which was drafted by her lawyers, Granville Abibo (SAN) and Co, Mrs. Jonathan enjoined the EFCC and Skye Bank to lift the restriction placed on the accounts.
In the letter Patience Jonathan admitted that the she is the sole signatory to the card-based accounts.
She stated further, that she is a law-abiding citizen who had been using the accounts to pay for her medical bill and other personal purposes.
"It is noteworthy to emphasise that the said accounts, which were in US dollar denomination, were card-based accounts and our client is the sole signatory to these accounts.
"Our client has been operating the said accounts using the cards for her medical bill payments and purchases for her private purposes without any let or hindrance.
"Our client was therefore surprised when the said cards stop functioning on July 7, 2016, or thereabout. Our client immediately, thereupon, contacted Skye Bank Plc through our solicitors.
It was only then that the bank officials informed our client that the said accounts were placed on a No Debit Order' following investigations and instruction from your commission and this is without notice to our client by either the bank or the commission.
"It is in the light of the foregoing that we urge you to use your good offices to vacate the No Debit/Freezing Order' placed on the said accounts."
"Despite the foregoing, our client, who is a law-abiding citizen, has watched with surprise how efforts are being made surreptitiously to indirectly harass or harangue her and short-change her of her personal funds in breach of her fundamental human rights.
"We urge you sir, to kindly intervene to stop the untoward and wrongful actions of your officials to embarrass, inconvenience and short-change our client."
Madam Patience Jonathan, on 17 February 2013, had said she died and woke up after seven days during her illness which lasted for almost three months.
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