Dame Patience Jonathan shows five videos in court to prove she earned cash EFCC is after

FORMER first lady Dame Patience Jonathan has produced five videos to prove that she legitimately earned the $8.4m and N7.4bn ($20.2m) which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is seeking to seize from her.

 

Over the last two years, Dame Jonathan has been involved in a bitter spat with the EFCC over money she is alleged to have acquired while her husband Dr Goodluck Jonathan was president. EFCC officials have asked a federal high court to grant an application seeking for the final forfeiture of the cash held in her bank accounts, saying it is public money.

 

Yesterday, Dame Jonathan's lawyers who are challenging the suit, played the videos before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of the Federal High Court in Lagos. On April 20 last year, the judge had ordered the temporary forfeiture of the funds, which the EFCC said were suspected to be proceeds of crime.

 

Chief Mike Ozekhome, Dame Jonathan's lawyer, argued that his clients filed affidavits to show that one of the companies had a certificate of incorporation and provided its board resolutions. He also argued that one of the companies makes money from selling items such as groceries, drinks, lighting, among others, adding that there was a video clip exhibit of various outfits legitimately run by the company.

 

Shown in court, the first video, which lasted 25 minutes, showed business outlets and products of Finchley Homes. They include interior and exterior home decorations, household utensils, textiles, drinks, noodles, furniture, a warehouse, as well as various pickup vans said to belong to the company.

 

In the second video clip, which ran for four minutes, Chief Ozekhome showed the business operations of Magel Resort, a luxurious hotel equipped with IT centres in Otuoke in Bayelsa State. Dame Jonathan's lawyers also exhibited three videos showing activities of the Women for Change Initiative, a non-governmental organisation linked to Dame Jonathan.

 

Of the three, the first 10-minute video showed the flag off of the initiative’s campaign, followed by another 10-minute clip showing aspects of the initiative’s empowerment of women through the distribution of food items. In the final video which lasted seven minutes, Dame Jonathan was shown visiting Katsina State for the initiative’s flag-off.

 

 

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