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Impeccable sources within the agency told our correspondent on Wednesday that the move had become necessary due to the prima facie case established against the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife.
As part of investigations into alleged diversion against a former Special Adviser to ex-President Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Waripamowei Dudafa, the anti-graft agency had frozen four companies’ accounts in Skye Bank with a balance of $15,591,700.
However, before the EFCC could arraign the four companies in court, Jonathan’s wife deposed to an affidavit, claiming that the money belonged to her.
Despite Patience’s claims, however, the EFCC arraigned the four companies –Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited; Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Limited; Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited; and Globus Integrated Service Limited.
The companies pleaded guilty and the EFCC had already begun moves to ensure that the money is forfeited permanently to the Federal Government.
A detective at the EFCC told The PUNCH, “Recall that we had frozen the four companies’ accounts, which Patience Jonathan later laid claim to. We have been able to establish that the money was part of proceeds of crime.
“She had no evidence that the money in the four accounts belonged to her. All she had were platinum debit cards, which she was using to withdraw money and the cards are not evidence of ownership.
“Initially, we had traced $5m to her personal account, which we did not touch but I can confirm to you now that the $5m account, bearing Patience Jonathan’s name, has also been seized since she claimed that the monies in the company accounts and the one in her personal name all emanated from the same source.
“We are tracing other accounts belonging to Patience. It will interest you to know that despite all the letters she has written, she has never stated where she got the money from. She claimed to be a housewife and yet she has $20m.”
Patience had recently written a letter to the acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, where she claimed that she needed the money for her medical treatment abroad.
She had also sued Skye Bank for N200m, accusing the bank of freezing her accounts unjustly.
In a letter written by her lawyers, Granville Abibo (SAN) and Co, Patience said, “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 of these accounts.
“The said bank officials also assured our client that they will change the account names accordingly and issue to our client new credit cards for the said accounts which was not done despite repeated demands.
“However, 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 stopped 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 instructions 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.”
ABUJA—THE House of
Representatives was thrown into a rowdy session yesterday, following a
motion by the Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Orker
Jev, over alleged infringement of members’ right and privileges by the
former chairman of Appropriation Committee, Abdulmumin Jibrin.
reps
The House, presided over by the speaker, Yakubu Dogara, resolved to
refer the matter and Jibrin to its Committee on Ethics and Privileges
for proper investigation, with a mandate to report its findings and make
appropriate recommendations within a week.
Jibrin had accused the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, his deputy, Yusuf Lasun,
Chief Whip, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, and Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, of being
behind the alleged padding of the 2016 budget.
Jev in the motion, had stated that the privileges of members, practices,
precedents were breached by Jibrin, adding that the punishment for the
act was suspension for a period not less than six months.
But he was interrupted by the Jibrin supporters, led by Aliyu Madaki,
who represents Dala Federal Constituency of Kano State on the platform
of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who was shouting point of order
to stop him from delivering his motion. This threw the House into a
rowdy session.
While supporters of Dogara urged Jeff to go ahead, those of Jibrin,
including members of the Transparent Group, made spirited but
unsuccessful efforts to stop the motion.
Jev, who moved the motion about 11:48am, had in his introductory
remarks, stated that there were expectations, especially from the media
that the House was going to be rowdy, adding, “we will disappoint them.”
He said: “I am asking for permission to move a motion on the
collective breaches of privileges of members.”
This was greeted with repeated shout of nay from Jibrin’s supporters,
and for about one hour, the House was rowdy as the sergeant-at-arms
quickly formed a ring around the Mace to protect it.
This did not, however, deter Jev who went ahead to read his motion,
which was later passed through a resounding voice vote and referred to
the Ossai Nicholas Ossai-led Committee on Ethics and Privileges.
As the melee continued, Jibrin left the chamber, while supporters of
Dogara who were in majority, started distributing green muffler bearing
the name of the speaker.
Jev, in his motion, noted that Jibrin was relieved of his appointment as
Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation on July 21, 2016,
adding that a day after his removal, he (Jibrin) allegedly embarked on a
campaign of calumny and denigration by making false and scandalous
statements and publications in the print, electronic media and internet
against the entire membership and institution of the House of
Representatives and National Assembly.
He said the contemptuous statements made by Jibrin against the House
and its members were punishable by six months suspension.
However, the embattled former Appropriations Committee chairman,
Abdulmumin Jibrin, said yesterday he would not appear before th ethics
committee.
He said he would only appear on the condition that the Ethics Committee
conducted its investigation in public.
Jibrin, who represents Kiru-Bebeji Federal Constituency of Kano State,
said: “I attended the sitting of the House today (yesterday) and
carefully observed the proceedings concerning the allegations of budget
fraud and corruption I leveled against Speaker Dogara and three other
principal officers.”
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/budget-padding-reps-rowdy-session/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/budget-padding-reps-rowdy-session/
ABUJA—THE House of
Representatives was thrown into a rowdy session yesterday, following a
motion by the Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Orker
Jev, over alleged infringement of members’ right and privileges by the
former chairman of Appropriation Committee, Abdulmumin Jibrin.
reps
The House, presided over by the speaker, Yakubu Dogara, resolved to
refer the matter and Jibrin to its Committee on Ethics and Privileges
for proper investigation, with a mandate to report its findings and make
appropriate recommendations within a week.
Jibrin had accused the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, his deputy, Yusuf Lasun,
Chief Whip, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, and Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, of being
behind the alleged padding of the 2016 budget.
Jev in the motion, had stated that the privileges of members, practices,
precedents were breached by Jibrin, adding that the punishment for the
act was suspension for a period not less than six months.
But he was interrupted by the Jibrin supporters, led by Aliyu Madaki,
who represents Dala Federal Constituency of Kano State on the platform
of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who was shouting point of order
to stop him from delivering his motion. This threw the House into a
rowdy session.
While supporters of Dogara urged Jeff to go ahead, those of Jibrin,
including members of the Transparent Group, made spirited but
unsuccessful efforts to stop the motion.
Jev, who moved the motion about 11:48am, had in his introductory
remarks, stated that there were expectations, especially from the media
that the House was going to be rowdy, adding, “we will disappoint them.”
He said: “I am asking for permission to move a motion on the
collective breaches of privileges of members.”
This was greeted with repeated shout of nay from Jibrin’s supporters,
and for about one hour, the House was rowdy as the sergeant-at-arms
quickly formed a ring around the Mace to protect it.
This did not, however, deter Jev who went ahead to read his motion,
which was later passed through a resounding voice vote and referred to
the Ossai Nicholas Ossai-led Committee on Ethics and Privileges.
As the melee continued, Jibrin left the chamber, while supporters of
Dogara who were in majority, started distributing green muffler bearing
the name of the speaker.
Jev, in his motion, noted that Jibrin was relieved of his appointment as
Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation on July 21, 2016,
adding that a day after his removal, he (Jibrin) allegedly embarked on a
campaign of calumny and denigration by making false and scandalous
statements and publications in the print, electronic media and internet
against the entire membership and institution of the House of
Representatives and National Assembly.
He said the contemptuous statements made by Jibrin against the House
and its members were punishable by six months suspension.
However, the embattled former Appropriations Committee chairman,
Abdulmumin Jibrin, said yesterday he would not appear before th ethics
committee.
He said he would only appear on the condition that the Ethics Committee
conducted its investigation in public.
Jibrin, who represents Kiru-Bebeji Federal Constituency of Kano State,
said: “I attended the sitting of the House today (yesterday) and
carefully observed the proceedings concerning the allegations of budget
fraud and corruption I leveled against Speaker Dogara and three other
principal officers.”
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/budget-padding-reps-rowdy-session/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/budget-padding-reps-rowdy-session/
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