The Federal High Court in Lagos State, on Tuesday adjourned the commencement of hearing on the application for final forfeiture of the sum of $5.8 million and N2.4 billion allegedly owned by the former first lady, Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Tijjani Ringim fixed March 28, 2023 for the hearing of the application.
The hearing date was shifted after the judge ruled on the arguments by counsel to the parties in the case.
Investors King recalls that Retired Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, on April 26, 2017 granted an ex parte application for the temporal forfeiture of Patience Jonathan’s $5.8 million and N2, 421, 953, 522. 78 billion, which was filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Olatoregun ordered that the money which was kept in the defunct Skye Bank (now Polaris bank) and Eco bank be seized in the interim.
The court order was, however, challenged at the Supreme Court which refused the case, ordering that the hearing of the matter should continue at the high court.
After Justice Olatoregun’s retirement, the suit was moved to the table of Justice (Professor) Chuka Obiozor who was later transferred to another jurisdiction of the court, hence he didn’t preside over the case which was now taken up by Justice Ringim.
As the court resumed hearing on the application, the counsel to La Wari Furniture and Baths Limited, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), informed the court that his client had two pending applications in the court.
The applications were seeking to stay proceedings on the case, based on its pending appeal, and secondly, for the matter to begin newly.
The defense counsel of Mrs Patience Jonathan, Mr. Sammie Somiari aligned himself with the submission of Chief Ozekhome.
However, the counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) opposed the applications. He argued that the major assignment of the day was to hear the application seeking final forfeiture of the money.
After considering the arguments of the counsel, Justice Ringim agreed to the EFCC’s counsel submissions. He thereby adjourned the case till March 28, 2023 for the hearing of application for final forfeiture of the money.