Former Nigerian first lady Patience Jonathan has
given the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) a 14-day ultimatum to
unfreeze her accounts or face a N5 billion
lawsuit.
In a letter issued by her attorneys, First Law
Solicitors and signed by its Senior Partner,
Timipa Jenkins Okponipere and addressed to
EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, Mrs. Jonathan
described EFCC as “a big thief” for freezing her
accounts with Skype Bank, containing more than
$15million.
The letter reads: “Sir, it is our client’s brief that
there is no formal criminal complaint of
economic and financial crime as defined by the
EFCC Act 2004 written by any person or
institution against her which warranted the EFCC
to freeze her accounts. It is also our client’s
brief that the EFCC failed to obtain a court order
as required by Section 34 of the EFCC Act before
her accounts were frozen.
“It is our client’s further brief that, up until the
writing of this open letter, she has not received
any formal invitation to appear before the
commission for questioning; whereas her
accounts domiciled with Skye Bank Plc have
since been frozen by the commission without
recourse to her.
“We are very much aware of numerous instances
where EFCC used strong-arm tactics to
dispossess hard working Nigerians of their
legitimately earned money; only to turn around
to brazenly and shamelessly loot the recovered
loot. This is one of such unfortunate instances.
Clearly, it is a failed politically-motivated
attempt by the EFCC to steal our client’s money
using the cover of the present political climate.
“For the avoidance of doubt, it shall be counter-
productive and inimical to the public interest if
the Attorney General of the Federation and/or the
EFCC heeded the irresponsible calls to
commence the arrest and prosecution of our
client based on suspicion. If they did otherwise,
they shall be violating the extant provision of
Section 174(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as
amended) which clearly prohibits criminal
proceedings that were not in the public interest.
Besides, suspicion; no matter how strong it may
seem; cannot ground a conviction.”
“TAKE NOTICE; AND NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN
that if the EFCC fails, refuses and/or neglects to
comply accordingly, we shall file an action at the
AFRICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN AND
PEOPLES RIGHTS at The Gambia demanding
FIVE BILLION NAIRA in exemplary and punitive
damages.”
Former Nigerian first lady Patience Jonathan has
given the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) a 14-day ultimatum to
unfreeze her accounts or face a N5 billion
lawsuit.
In a letter issued by her attorneys, First Law
Solicitors and signed by its Senior Partner,
Timipa Jenkins Okponipere and addressed to
EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, Mrs. Jonathan
described EFCC as “a big thief” for freezing her
accounts with Skype Bank, containing more than
$15million.
The letter reads: “Sir, it is our client’s brief that
there is no formal criminal complaint of
economic and financial crime as defined by the
EFCC Act 2004 written by any person or
institution against her which warranted the EFCC
to freeze her accounts. It is also our client’s
brief that the EFCC failed to obtain a court order
as required by Section 34 of the EFCC Act before
her accounts were frozen.
“It is our client’s further brief that, up until the
writing of this open letter, she has not received
any formal invitation to appear before the
commission for questioning; whereas her
accounts domiciled with Skye Bank Plc have
since been frozen by the commission without
recourse to her.
“We are very much aware of numerous instances
where EFCC used strong-arm tactics to
dispossess hard working Nigerians of their
legitimately earned money; only to turn around
to brazenly and shamelessly loot the recovered
loot. This is one of such unfortunate instances.
Clearly, it is a failed politically-motivated
attempt by the EFCC to steal our client’s money
using the cover of the present political climate.
“For the avoidance of doubt, it shall be counter-
productive and inimical to the public interest if
the Attorney General of the Federation and/or the
EFCC heeded the irresponsible calls to
commence the arrest and prosecution of our
client based on suspicion. If they did otherwise,
they shall be violating the extant provision of
Section 174(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as
amended) which clearly prohibits criminal
proceedings that were not in the public interest.
Besides, suspicion; no matter how strong it may
seem; cannot ground a conviction.”
“TAKE NOTICE; AND NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN
that if the EFCC fails, refuses and/or neglects to
comply accordingly, we shall file an action at the
AFRICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN AND
PEOPLES RIGHTS at The Gambia demanding
FIVE BILLION NAIRA in exemplary and punitive
damages.”
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